Stolen
by superyuui
Summary: Two teachers, Kurogane-sensei and Fai-sensei, are enjoying their relationship when an unexpected visitor with seemingly evil intentions decides to add his own input, and the two teachers suddenly find themselves part of an unlikely journey. KuroFai lemons
1. Horitsuba Gakuen

**Stolen **

**Chapter One - Horitsuba Gakuen**

Kurogane growled in frustration. Where the hell did the damn idiot hide the spatula _this _time?! He'd tried the "obvious" places, such as the oven, the fridge and the ever popular fake drawer under the sink, but it seemed his blonde roommate/colleague/lover had chosen a new hidey hole, and was annoyingly separating Kurogane from unburned omelettes.

_If I was an idiot science teacher who had just gotten into my boyfriend's pants for the first time… _Kurogane thought… _Where would I hide the damn spatula?!_

He ducked down onto hands and knees and crawled across the apartment, throwing aside dining chairs, magazines, unmarked homework from last term and a few takeout menus; he still saw no sign of the cooking implement.

He sighed and tried a new tack. _I'm a twenty-five year old, pansy-assed, foreign science teacher with a kink for sweets. _His eye nearly twitched out of its socket. _What do I use a spatula for?_

5 minutes later, with an omelette that was only slightly burned at the edges and a mood sourer than the milk he'd had to throw out, Kurogane tiptoed back into his and Fai's room, pausing slightly in the doorway.

Suddenly calm, he allowed himself a small smile. After all, who wouldn't smile when faced with Fai, sprawled out naked on the bed and tangled in the sheets, purring softly in his sleep?

His hair was messed and tangled cutely, his skin tinted with the afterglow of the, ahem, _activities _that had conspired the night before. Kurogane vividly remembered the sweet sound of Fai's ecstasy, and the addicting heat their bodies shared as they moved as one, everything around them blurring and dull and unimportant, and he suppressed the shiver of lust that tingled through him at the memory.

Kurogane padded over quietly, before balancing his plate in one hand and using the other to try and bring some form of order back into the bedcovers without waking the blonde. He'd be annoying and say something along the lines of Kurogane trying to take advantage of him while he was vulnerable and he'll have to be kept on a leash for being a bad puppy.

Soon, Kurogane had successfully settled back into bed, plate in his lap, and was chewing thoughtfully, following the lines of Fai's body with his eyes. Kurogane had tried to preserve the man's dignity (whatever there was of it) after he'd gotten up and had pulled the duvet up as much as he could, covering up to a pale belly button, next to which was a dark bruise. Kurogane grinned possessively.

_Kurogane's eyes slid shut as he kissed from Fai's lips to a pink nipple, licking it tentatively and gaining an approving gasp. Fai's thin body shivered and he mewled appreciatively when Kurogane sucked on the soft skin, Fai's nipple rapidly tightening against his tongue. All too soon, the tanned man moved on, kissing lower and lower, pausing next to Fai's belly button, nipping hard at the pale flesh to leave a purple love bite._

Kurogane gulped and willed the erotic thoughts away, and was about to dig in to his breakfast when Fai's internal Kuro-wan sensor went off and the man sat up and stretched languidly.

Kurogane flinched and gobbled down the omelette as quick as he could, as the inevitable could only happen.

"Hyuu!" Fai cooed, leaning over to Kurogane, either unaware or uncaring of his own nakedness, "Kuro-sama's so good to me! Making me breakfast in bed! But if he wanted to share it, he should have asked, ne?"

Before the gym teacher could blink, the omelette had been stolen from his hungry grasp and was instead now being enjoyed by the smaller of the two, now with only his left shin down being covered by the duvet.

Kurogane glared over at him, pointedly ignoring the way the other's pale skin was still flushed and how his golden locks fell over his face in untidy strands.

"I hope you're gonna share that." he grumbled, knowing he was in for it when Fai looked up and his eyes glittered with mischief.

"I will, as soon as I finish this delicious omelette!" Fai smirked, taking another bite.

Kurogane snatched the rest of the omelette up and devoured it, not taking his eyes off of the other, who was glowing with amusement. Fai suddenly crossed his arms and huffed, flicking his head off to the side.

"I knew you were too good to be true!" he commented melodramatically, "But you were so perfect when you rescued me from that evil water puddle, I couldn't help but fall into your trap!"

Kurogane rolled his eyes, focusing instead on picking the crumbs from his plate.

"And last night you were so romantic, with the chocolates and the bouquet and the loving words! But now I know you're just a beast who deflowers innocent young men!" he finished by gathering up the bedcovers and crying into them. Kurogane still wasn't convinced.

"You bought those chocolates yourself, idiot."

Fai's head whipped up.

"But, the bouquet!"

"You fell into a flowerbed on the way home. And as for 'deflowering' you?" Kurogane smirked, "I don't even need to comment."

Fai pouted.

"Kuro-wanko's so mean…"

Kurogane grinned. "And you're a drama queen,"

Fai pouted, hopped out of bed and followed Kurogane to the kitchen. It seemed that the blonde man had no inhibitions, whether he was sleeping, cooking or walking around the apartment in the morning.

"Fai, if you're still naked when you open the refrigerator, I'm throwing you outside in the cold." Kurogane warned, washing his plate up.

Fai huffed and quickly grabbed some chocolate from the fridge and ducked back into their bedroom before the black haired man could hit him with the dishcloth and put him out in the chilly morning air.

"Oh, Kuro-min!" he skidded back into the kitchen, now wearing the jeans Kurogane had been in the night before. "Yuuko-sensei has plans for a chemistry trip at some point after Christmas, and I have a feeling I'm gonna have to chaperone," he grinned cheekily and poked Kurogane's nose, "You think you can last two weeks without me?"

Kurogane's expression remained indifferent, even though his jeans were way too big for Fai and were slipping down the blonde's hips, and replied slowly. "It will be the quietest two weeks I've had in three months."

"Wah! Kuro-pan is so mean to me!" Fai wailed, attaching himself to the taller man, "Please don't leave me, Kuro-wanwan!"

Kurogane's eyebrow ticked and he didn't answer.

X o X o X

Fai grinned and turned to face his class.

"Welcome to year 11, class! My name is Fluorite-sensei, but it's a bit hard to say, so everyone just calls me Fai-sensei," he waved his hand passively, "I'll take the first register, and it'd be a big help if you could raise your hand when you answer," he demonstrated, "So I can put a name to a face."

The class gave each other worried glances, the students either wondering what Fai-sensei was on, what Fai-sensei had to be so happy about at eight-thirty in the morning or whether Fai-sensei was insane.

Fai-sensei just smiled.

However, in Kurogane's classroom, things were a little different.

"Alright, brats, I'm Kurogane-sensei. You call me Kurogane-sensei, and you ignore whatever the blonde science teacher says about me. I'm taking attendance, so be quiet and listen up."

-

"a-CHOO!"

"Are you okay, Fai-sensei?"

Fai sniffed and smiled widely.

"Someone must be talking about me, ne? Anyway!" he turned back to the whiteboard, "If one parent has the alleles for blonde hair and blue eyes, and the other parent has the alleles for black hair and re- I mean, brown eyes, what is the probability of the child having blonde hair and brown eyes?"

The class exchanged glances, most of them aware of whom Fai was referring to, before gingerly sketching out genetic diagrams in their books.

-

Kurogane glared at the school, somehow aware that Fai was being an idiot inside one of the classrooms. He growled lowly to himself and ignored his curiosity (for now), turning back to his class.

Who had all finished warming up.

And were staring at him oddly.

He coughed in annoyance and they all pretended to have been looking in other directions, giving him the chance to size them all up.

He held back a lengthly sigh. They were a bunch of wimps.

"Alright," he rumbled, "You're gonna go straight into a game this lesson, as I don't know any of you. I'll go ahead and assume you all know the rules of Softball. Name them."

The class was silent, until one kid raised his hand.

"You, glasses."

"Urashima."

"Whatever." Kurogane replied shortly.

The kid, Urashima, gulped. "That it's the world's biggest oxymoron."

Kurogane raised an eyebrow.

"An oxymoron is—"

"I know what it is, smartass!" Kurogane snapped at another kid, a short little bastard with purple hair and a glare almost as practised as his own.

The kid stared back at him. Kurogane's eyebrow ticked.

He coughed again and growled out the rules of the game, and made them all repeat them until they were burned into their brains.

Watching their match, he discovered that they weren't as useless as he'd suspected, and that pleased him. Though, the Urashima kid had severe spaz problems that Kurogane couldn't be bothered to deal with, not in the first lesson anyway, and the purple haired brat proved himself to be more than just a purple haired brat with an accent weirder than Fai's, as he could actually hit the ball.

It didn't matter, as Kurogane still had the urge to trip the bastard with his Kendo sword as he ran past him.

X o X o X

"Kuuuro-samaaa-senseeeeeiii!"

Kurogane sighed. Lunch had just started and he was looking forward to quietly reading his manga in the staff room. He had practically run over to the PE cupboard to put the lesson's equipment away quickly, when a certain blonde turned up to whine at him.

He turned to face Fai, whose eyes were watery and large. Kurogane raised an eyebrow.

"…Yes?"

Fai lifted his hand up to reveal a rather large cut in his palm, a piece of glass sticking out, blood dripping steadily down his hand.

"I got an owie!"

Kurogane sighed and sat Fai on the desk, pulling the first aid kit out of a drawer.

"This is gonna sting." Kurogane warned, holding Fai's hand in his own and pinching the glass with the other, ready to pull it out.

Fai nodded and bit his lip. He winced and let out a small noise when Kurogane pulled the glass out, his eyes stinging with tears. He tried to pull his hand away when the gym teacher started cleaning it, knowing what was to come next.

Kurogane silenced him with a Look the second Fai started wriggling at the sight of the disinfectant bottle. He knew Fai didn't like the sting of the disinfectant, hell, no-one did! But both of them knew it had to be done, even though the cut was clean and thin.

He dabbed the solution onto Fai's hand carefully with a cotton ball, ignoring the whines coming from the blonde.

"Were there any chemicals on that glass?"

"N-no… W-we were doing osmosis, s-so there's only water." Fai replied, stuttering slightly, "I s-slipped when I was clearing away a few beakers..."

Kurogane looked up to see Fai staring at his now bandaged cut, eyes watery and a few tears running down his pale cheeks. Kurogane reached up and brushed one away with the pad of his thumb, and Fai's blue eyes jerked to meet his red ones.

Fai smiled shakily and placed his good hand over Kurogane's.

"You probably think I'm being a baby, don't you, Kuro-rin-sensei?"

Kurogane leaned up and kissed Fai's forehead, not replying. He knew Fai knew he didn't think that, and he used his action as his way of saying 'It's okay, you've had a shock.'

Kurogane stood and Fai went with him, wrapping his shaking arms around Kurogane's neck and leaning into him, his small frame trembling slightly.

"Oi…" Kurogane started softly, "You need a hot drink or something?"

Fai shook his head, "Kuro-tan is warm enough."

Kurogane grunted and put his arms around Fai's thin waist, resting his chin lightly on Fai's head.

They stood there for a while, during which time Fai sniffed a bit and Kurogane kissed his hair a few times. Fai then tilted his head back, his gaze connecting with Kurogane's. The gym teacher felt something constrict in his chest at the sight of the usually cheery, bouncy science teacher's eyes red and face flushed with tears, his expression worried and unsure.

Before he could speculate any longer, Fai stood on tip toes and they were kissing, the blonde desperately clinging to his sports jersey. Kurogane smirked against Fai's lips and gladly returned the gesture, willing confidence back into his lover. Fai mewled quietly and pressed himself flush against Kurogane, shivering as warm, rough hands found their way under both his lab coat and his turtle neck sweater.

Fai gradually relaxed, and the sense of uncomfortable urgency evaporated from their tender moment, the kiss becoming lazy and gentle. Fai hummed softly, his fingers playing with Kurogane's short spikes, and Kurogane's hand travelled upwards to rest over Fai's heart, which was still rather fast and out of rhythm.

Both of them were comfortable in their haze, ignorant to the fact that lunch was quickly drawing to a close. Kurogane suddenly jerked away.

"We are _NOT _going to have sex in the PE cupboard!"

Fai blinked and looked down, before grinning sheepishly and buttoning Kurogane's trousers back up.

"Can't blame me for trying!" he teased, his previous shock melted away.

Kurogane gladly kissed the smirk off of Fai's lips, ignoring the bell, humming softly, Fai's tongue curling around his own, idly being granted domination by the taller, who was flitting his fingertips across Fai's back in strange, abstract patterns. Fai moaned softly, his head swimming from the adrenaline and lack of oxygen. Before Kurogane could register the sound of his jersey being unzipped, Fai's cool hands were rubbing his chest sensually, making him groan and pull Fai harder against himself.

They broke apart and stared at each other, both of them flushed deeply (though it was really only noticeable on the paler teacher), and both of them panting for breath.

Fai grinned.

"We're really late for our lessons, you realise?"

Kurogane would have slapped his forehead, if his hand hadn't been so preoccupied with Fai's hair, so he instead groaned and stared at the ceiling, cursing both the PE cupboard and kami-sama for his misfortune.

X o X o X

"What would Kuro-danna like for Christmas?"

Kurogane raised an eyebrow. They were on the train, heading home, discreetly groping each other at every opportunity, and the blonde science teacher just _had_ to ruin it with something that wasn't of anyone's concern yet.

"Fai, you realise Christmas is in three months, right?"

Fai nodded, smiling, "I wanted to get a head-start!"

"I haven't thought about it yet." Kurogane replied after a while.

"Well, you should!" Fai gasped, as if he was lecturing the child who ate all the cookies in the cookie jar, "Christmas is the best time of year! You all eat dinner together and make snowmen and play games and get presents and—"

Kurogane knew he was getting looks, some dirty, some afraid and some encouraging, but frankly, when you have your tongue deep inside your lover's mouth, you don't really care what random people on the Shinkansen think about you. And hey, at least it shut him up.

Fai soon pulled away, regretfully, smiling giddily.

"And we get to be alone the whole time." he finished, quietly.

Kurogane suddenly grinned.

"Then you get to watch a group of brats explode things and make out with each other for two weeks," Kurogane narrowed his eyes, smirking malevolently, before adding "With_out_ alcohol!"

Fai's grin fell.


	2. Duvet

**Stolen**

**Chapter Two – Duvet**

Fai giggled against Kurogane's lips as he fumbled with his keys.

"Stop it, Kuro-tan! I can't put it in the lock!" he gasped out, cheeks red with mirth. Kurogane in return grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like a perverted remark before he stood back, allowing Fai access to the doorknob. As soon as the door clicked open, however, he had lifted Fai back up to him by the hips and reclaimed his possession on the soft mouth he'd easily become addicted to.

Fai grinned and draped his arms back around Kurogane's neck, skilfully kicking the door shut as Kurogane walked away with him, wrapping his legs around the gym teacher's waist. Kurogane misjudged the location of their bedroom and ended up pressing Fai against the wall next to it instead, but this fazed neither of them in their heated exploration of each others' mouths.

Fai whined softly when Kurogane pulled away, his heart pounding in his ribcage, his lungs gasping for air. He groaned quietly, the heat pooling in the pit of his stomach causing him to writhe and rock his hips slowly against Kurogane's, who growled appreciatively and slipped his hands beneath the band of Fai's trousers.

Kurogane's eyes snapped open.

"…Where's your underwear?"

Fai smirked flirtatiously.

"Not wearing any!" he replied, his slender fingers slowly pulling the zip of Kurogane's sports jersey undone, purring when Kurogane's hands ran over his ass, squeezing lightly.

"You're being very naughty today…" Kurogane murmured huskily into Fai's ear, hot breath tickling the blonde's neck. Fai's eyelids slipped shut and he gave a high pitched whimper, arching himself away from the wall in order to press himself harder against his love, his hands holding onto the other's elbows. Kurogane's teasing fingers caused him to cry and buck his hips roughly, before panting harder and silently begging for Kurogane to just _hurry up._

Luckily for him, the gym teacher could sense his desperation and carried him into their room, unnoticed by Fai until the soft thump of falling onto the bed was added to the mental list of sounds he loved the most, followed shortly with the thu-mop of his lover's jersey meeting the bedroom floor. Kurogane was back in an instant, hovering over him and rubbing Fai's sides beneath his shirt, gently pushing the hem higher up his torso and kissing places he knew to be sensitive spots. Fai whined and helped push the annoying shirt off before pulling Kurogane flush against him, nuzzling into the heat the other man offered, shivering as his lust peaked at the feel of skin against skin.

Kurogane growled low in his throat, trying to concentrate on helping Fai's trousers glide off of his slim hips, which was getting increasingly harder as the seconds passed, the smaller man reacting to anything and everything and getting, well, increasingly harder. Fai moaned breathily when fingers brushed along him, making him jerk into the touch, sweet friction burning his nerves to ash, his skin scalding with the heat of passion and his head swimming with fiery adrenaline.

"Shh," Kurogane teased, kissing Fai's neck, "And you said it was _me_ who wouldn't last two weeks…"

Fai have a hoarse chuckle at Kurogane's absurdity before working on being able to think straight enough to rid Kurogane of his own trousers.

A high pitched ringing called from the hallway and Fai groaned when Kurogane got up, trying to hold him back.

"Don't get it!"

"It'll just piss me off if I leave it." Kurogane grumbled, pushing Fai back onto the bed.

"What?" Kurogane snarled into the phone, nearly tearing the cradle off of the wall with it.

"My, my! I seem to have called you at the wrong time!"

Kurogane just grunted, wishing he could make Yuuko strangle herself.

"I felt it was my duty to remind you of our agreement, which you and Fai-sensei broke as of this afternoon."

Kurogane sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I'm not against your relationship—"

"But you believe that the parents of some of the kids would be," Kurogane finished, having heard the same line from her repeatedly over the months he and Fai had been together.

Yuuko's response was unheard to him, as that very second a smooth, skinny body pressed itself to his back, and pale arms reached round his front.

A casual glance over his shoulder showed him a mop of tangled blonde hair, the smaller man purring and nuzzling his shoulder.

"Kurogane-sensei?"

"Hn."

"I was just asking you if—"

Fai's hands started rubbing against him in slow, agonising circles.

"—do you agree?"

"Wha, erm… yeah, sure…"

"Really?" Yuuko chuckled, "I would have thought you to—"

Kurogane's breath hitched.

"…Kurogane-sensei?"

"It's n-nothing!" he snapped, swallowing a moan as best he could. Fai's fingers had continued those teasing circular patterns long after they passed the hemline of Kurogane's trousers, and the pale science teacher chuckled evilly against the gym teacher's shoulder blade when he felt him shudder. Kurogane fought hard to keep his breathing normal and his vocal cords silent; who knew what kind of teasing Yuuko-sensei'd put him through?

He almost cursed when he practically heard Yuuko's lips curl into a smirk. It seemed nothing'd be getting past her.

"Well, suppose that the children's parents found out about this? Would they really want their children being taught by people whom they might see as, how do I put this? Inadequate, maybe?"

Kurogane tried to hum in understanding, but it was rather long and deep for a hum, so he was instantly cursing himself afterwards. Ah well. At least Yuuko seemed to be enjoying herself.

"Should I leave you two alone?" she asked innocently, amusement perfectly clear in her voice.

"Yes." Again, rather long and deep for a nonchalant reply. More self-cursing.

"I'll see you in school tomorrow!"

The phone clattered to the floor as soon as he heard the dial tone and Kurogane whirled around, pushing Fai hard against the kitchen island, kissing him roughly and passionately, holding Fai's hips to his and grinding them together desperately as he groaned long and hard into Fai's mouth. Fai mewled and bucked against him, finally winning his personal battle with the trouser fly from hell. Kurogane happily kicked the trousers off and directed them back into the bedroom, Fai tenderly manoeuvring his boxers off to join his jacket on the soft carpet.

They stood for some time, bodies pressed together, tongues battling, hands massaging and caressing and groping until they both felt like they'd explode from the sheer exhilaration. Their moans chorused together, their breathing heavy, skin aflame and sensitive. Kurogane freed his hand from Fai's hair and trailed it down his slim body, massaging his lower back momentarily before coming around to stroke teasingly at his length. Fai moaned loudly and tried fruitlessly to push himself harder against Kurogane's hand, but his trembling legs refused to hold him for much longer, low groans erupting from deep within him as Kurogane squeezed him gently, his other hand now skittering over Fai's ass so sensually that the poor blonde didn't know where what was coming from anymore. All he knew was the heat and the need and the utter craving to be filled. He whimpered as his legs started to give way, but he didn't have to worry long, for Kurogane managed to get them onto the bed in time, and the hand that was on his butt moved to play with a sensitive spot in the curve of his back.

"Kuro-seme, please!" Fai mewled and bucked against him again. Kurogane smirked and grabbed a bottle from the bedside table, coating himself with the lube and getting it all over his fingers, which he used to reach beneath Fai and tease the muscles at his entrance slowly, so agonisingly slowly. Fai cried his name again, thrusting urgently against his fingers until Kurogane pushed one inside, kneading the tense muscles, trying to find that bundle of nerves that would quickly send his lover into a frenzied ecstasy. Fai moaned, arching away from the bed, forcing Kurogane's finger deeper within himself. He moaned again when a second finger joined the first, soon panting and whining softly with pleasure as the fingers thrust hard inside him, stretching and rubbing him until he cried out again.

"Kuro-sama…" he panted, feeling himself getting so unbearably close.

Kurogane kissed Fai gently as he entered him, taking Fai's erection in his newly freed hand and pumping it slowly, catching his lover between pain and pleasure, relishing in the sweet, passionate sounds that were coming from him.

He waited briefly for Fai to adjust, before sliding almost completely out and then thrusting all the way back in, grunting lowly as Fai tightened around him for a fraction of a second. Neither of them would last much longer, Kurogane noticed vaguely, holding Fai's hips with his hands for a better anchor. He pulled out again and, aiming for Fai's prostate, slammed back in, causing Fai to flinch and throatily call out another variation of Kurogane's name.

Kurogane tried again, and this time struck gold. Every muscle in Fai's abdomen contracted and he gave a long, ragged moan and lay in a white blaze of sensation for a fleeting moment, panting heavily, until he could think again and just concentrate on the feeling of Kurogane's hand on him and the feeling of Kurogane moving inside him, now hitting that sweet spot with every thrust.

Sweat made their hair stick to their foreheads and made the sheets damp as Fai curled his toes into them, desperate for something to anchor him down for fear of being completely lost in the swirling passion. He moaned continuously, the beautiful sound broken only with his harsh breaths and needing whimpers, mixing with the growls coming from the larger man, most of which sounding like the science teacher's name.

With a final cry, Fai came and Kurogane followed soon after, euphoria washing over them in waves of lasting pleasure that coursed relentlessly through their veins and tingled comfortingly up their spines and they both lay collapsed, panting, next to each other on the dirtied sheets in their musty room, happily satisfied and sleepy.

Fai snuggled up to Kurogane, purring contentedly, still shivering with warm fuzziness. Kurogane lazily slung an arm around Fai's thin waist and kissed his forehead affectionately, his lips curled into a small smile, his eyes slipping shut.

The bed shifted and there was a beep.

"This is what Kuro-daddy looks like after we've had sex!"

Kurogane's grin disappeared and he put his head under the pillow, groaning in annoyance.

"Fai, get the damn camcorder out of my face." he ordered, though Fai thought it looked like the pillow said it and he giggled.

"It's not in your face, Kuro-silly! It'd go out of focus!"

"I regret ever buying that for you." The pillow grumbled, before Kurogane sat up quickly and stared wide-eyed at Fai,

"…Has that been on this entire time?!"

Fai just grinned.

"…Fai, give me the fucking camera, _now."_

Fai grinned and held the camera behind him, the lens still pointing at both of them.

"Say please, Kuro-chi!"

"Fai…" Kurogane growled lowly.

"That's not 'please', Kuro-mmmf!"

Kurogane had silenced him with a soft kiss, one that would hopefully calm him down. Kurogane pulled away and Fai sighed, definitely looking a lot more sedated than before.

"Shut up," Kurogane murmured, stroking Fai's fringe away from his face, "give me the camera, and go to sleep." Fai hummed softly and cuddled back to Kurogane, relinquishing the camera.

Kurogane watched the footage, slightly annoyed and very relieved when he noticed that Fai had _not _recorded them. The small screen buzzed to life.

"_Is this the 'on' button, Kuro-min?" _The screen showed their living room, covered in polystyrene packaging and wrapping paper, with Christmas decorations hanging up.

"_How would I know?" _the camera flicked over to where Kurogane was, sat on the floor with reindeer antlers and a Christmas jumper that Fai had forced him into, a pile of presents by his knee.

"'_Cuz Kuro-tan is so manly, of course he knows how to work it!"_

"_It's recording right now, idiot, the red light's on."_

"_It is?" _the camera picture spun before it focused on Fai's face which instantly lit up at the discovery_, "It's recording, Kuro-mon! It's recording!"_

There was a low grumble from where Kurogane was, and Fai laughed, _"I'm not as smart as Kuro-daddy, though!"_

"_Turn the damn thing off, Fai, there's more to open!"_

Kurogane put the camera away as Fai started to mumble in his sleep and fidget around. Lazy blue eyes opened and Fai smiled prettily, and Kurogane couldn't help but smile in return. Fai wriggled higher on the bed, kissing Kurogane softly on the lips.

Kurogane smirked and pulled Fai closer to him, nuzzling into his tousled blonde hair and kissing his temple.

They both fell asleep with contented smiles on their faces.

X o x o X

Kurogane was awake well before Fai, but didn't dare get up for fear of jostling him around and waking him. He had been right about Yuuko planning a Chemistry trip with his name on it, and had just returned from two weeks (_and a day_, Kurogane thought bitterly) of nothing but hormonal pre-adults, explosions and toxic chemicals, and the poor man was obviously completely knackered, no matter how much he tried to grin it away.

Kurogane would have felt guilty for making him even more exhausted than before, but he realised that Fai would have said something along the lines of "It's Friday! Where's the Tequila!" if he hadn't.

And at least now he'd get a good sleep.

Kurogane grabbed the camera back off the nightstand and, making sure the sound was as low as it'd go, watched more footage of… wherever Fai took the camera with him.

"_Yuuko-sensei! Look what Kuro-pin-sensei bought me!"_

Yuuko-sensei looked up from her desk in the staff room. She smiled maliciously.

"_My my, what an expensive gift for two people who are 'just friends'!"_

Kurogane remembered now. This was before they were caught making out in the… nevermind.

"_Kuro-sama-sensei is a nice puppy on the inside! Don't you think, Yuuko-sensei?"_

She grinned, _"Yes, I suppose so."_

Kurogane suddenly heard his own, angry voice, and the camera screen buzzed again.

This recording he remembered fondly. He had managed to catch Fai asleep on the couch, with a ton of papers to be marked stacked both on himself and the coffee table, a small smile playing his lips, and he decided to record it. It just seemed like one of the moments he'd like to keep.

He heard a deep chuckle, before something that sounded too soft to be his own voice (even though it was) murmured _"Fai, if you ever see this… You're so damn cute when you're asleep."_

Kurogane grinned and looked down at the real Fai, who was still cuddled to him and dreaming happily. _I agree with you, pixelated me, _Kurogane thought, fast-forwarding through what he supposed was Fai's recordings of the Chemistry trip, until one caught his attention.

The view was slanted, like the camera had been dropped or discarded. On the bottom of the shot, there was what looked like a duvet, and Kurogane had the view of a big window, one of the ones with the large windowsills that you can sit on, and he could see heavy rain drumming against the thick panes.

The screen rocked momentarily and then he saw an ass, and even though said ass was clothed in tight black jeans, he could still tell that it was Fai's ass, and he could still tell they were _his _jeans.

Fai was on his phone, and was now stood by the window. Kurogane could only catch bits of the conversation, because Fai was speaking too quietly, but he knew what was being said anyway.

"_It's rained so much recently, the tracks have flooded. The trains have been cancelled."_

Fai curled an arm around himself, his weight shifting to the opposite leg.

"_Yeah, they say it'll have cleared up later today." _A pause. Fai chuckled. "_Don't worry, Kuro-fuzzy, I should be home before midnight."_

Kurogane remembered this to be the point at which neither of them said anything. Fai crawled up onto the window seat, holding his knees to his chest and leaning against the window. He shivered.

"_S'really cold, Kuro-pii..." _he murmured, "_I wish you were here to warm me up…Haha! No, it's not because I have a 'withdrawal'!"_

Another short pause, another chuckle. "_It's_ _'cuz I miss you, Kuro-pippi…Hey, Kuro-chan? There was something I wanted to tell you…" _he trailed off.

"_Sorry, it'll have to wait..." _Fai mumbled, before his voice was loud and upbeat again._ "I was supposed to go and help the kids pack and get organised, so I'll see you later, Kuro-sexy!" _he flipped his phone shut, but didn't move off of the windowsill. He threw his phone lightly to land next to the camera, knocking it off of the bed with a thump. There were soft footsteps toward it until it was lifted, and then the screen fuzzed again.

Kurogane switched the camera off. He'd need to remember to ask Fai about that, later.

X o X o X

**Please Review! **

**There is a plot; it just doesn't get here for another few chapters.**


	3. You Are My Love

Stolen

**Stolen**

**Chapter Three - You Are My Love**

"Aha! Kuro-sama-sensei's come to help!"

"Eh? No, I—"

"Aww, don't be shy, Kuro-myon! We won't bite you!"

Kurogane glared at Fai, who was still too perky for his own good. He'd only gone in to see what time he should expect Fai home, and now here he was, getting roped into helping teach the revision lesson about muscles.

Wait, what?

"Fai, there is no way in hell I'm gonna—"

"Okay, class!" Fai turned to face his students, who had all gotten used to his strange quirks and no longer found him too odd, "Can anyone tell me this neck muscle?"

-

"Erm, is that the Pectoralis… major?"

"Not quite, it's the Pectoralis minor." Fai replied, still smiling with praise, "It's a very common mistake, so don't feel too put out, Syaoran-kun! Just try and remember that major, which is a Latin word, means big and minor means little! So the Pectoralis major are the big ones," Fai put his hand on Kurogane's chest, who tried his best to not blush, which was hard in front of a class of (mostly) air-headed girls who were only paying attention because Fai was cute and Kurogane was buff, "And Pectoralis minor are the small ones!" Fai continued, unaware of his lover's embarrassment.

The lesson had gone very smoothly, until Fai requested that Kurogane could take his shirt and jersey off so that they could study the torso muscles. This caused one of Kurogane and Fai's more sedate arguments, before Kurogane relented and removed his jersey, stating resolutely that he would not take his shirt off too.

He was more than slightly annoyed when he heard Syaoron, Syaoran's twin, cough something that sounded suspiciously like "whipped".

"Could you turn around, please, Kuro-pin-sensei?"

Fai went through the back muscles briefly, as they didn't really need to know a lot about them.

"And _this," _Fai brought his hand onto the muscle with a slap, "is the Gluteus Maximus!"

Kurogane yelped.

"What was _that _for, you crazy idiot?!" he yelled.

Fai just grinned and chirped "Sorry, my hand slipped!"

Kurogane heard snickering and instantly wanted to crawl into a corner and burst into flames.

X o X o X

"Fai, you're so embarrassing!" Kurogane groaned as they entered their apartment later that night. He had spent the entire train ride home wallowing in humiliation as Fai had a one-sided conversation with him about their plans for spring break, which was drawing closer at an alarming rate. It seemed like it was just yesterday that Fai was giving his introduction lesson with a wide grin to frightened pupils that he could bend to his will.

Er, I mean teach.

Kurogane suddenly remembered something.

"Hey, what was that thing you were talking on the phone about? Back in Osaka?"

Fai looked up and blinked, his scarf halfway to the coat hook, "You mean when I did the Chemistry thing?"

Kurogane nodded, and Fai blushed before looking away.

"I'll tell you soon, don't worry."

Kurogane stepped closer.

"Why can't you tell me now?"

Fai paused, running it over in his mind. "Now… isn't the right time." he said slowly, before smiling up at Kurogane again, "I'll tell you when it wants to be told, Kuro-wan!"

Kurogane studied Fai's face for a moment, unable to decide whether he should pursue the matter further. He decided that poking Fai for an answer might just make him less likely to actually reveal it, and instead rested his forehead against the pale one with a gentle sigh, wrapping his arms around him.

Fai blinked, finding himself staring into the passionate depths of crimson that lots of people found terrifying. His smile fell back into place and he leaned up, making the two inch gap between their lips nonexistent. They kissed tenderly, but it was filled with so much emotion and caring that Fai was afraid that his heart would drum its way out of his chest.

When they parted, Fai looked away slightly, his decision made.

"Hey, what's this?" Kurogane asked rhetorically, reaching up to brush a way the single tear that was running down Fai's cheek. Fai gave a bittersweet smile and placed his hand over Kurogane's, nuzzling it affectionately.

"I realised…" he started slowly, quietly, as if afraid of ruining the mood by speaking louder, "When we were separated, even though it was only for two weeks…" he frowned, rolling words around in his mind, searching for an appropriate way to phrase whatever he was going to say. He then sighed and bowed his head, starting again.

"We never really meant to start a relationship, did we?" he asked, quieter than before, looking back at the confused gym teacher, "I've never stayed in one place for long. I've always stayed a few months, maybe a year, and then moved on… it was easy, I didn't have to…make attachments… and I didn't have to feel pain…"

Kurogane frowned… where was this going?

"But then, I came here, and something happened. I couldn't leave. I tried to, I really tried to…" he whimpered, tears dripping slowly from his eyes "and then… when we kissed, I didn't _want _anything to change… and I'm scared, Kuro-rinta, I'm so scared…"

Fai stood, head bowed, and Kurogane wanted so much to gather him back into his arms and do all the things his heart was longing for him to do. But he couldn't, because Fai might never get his chance again.

"I thought going to Osaka last month would make me able to move on, but I just ended up needing to be here more... I needed to be with _you_ more, more than I needed to run away… and I'm scared, because it hurt so much..." he choked out a sob, before looking up, his blue eyes glistening with tears, a wide, true smile on his lips, "But I realised… just now… that I didn't need to be scared…" he rested his cheek over Kurogane's heart and wrapped his thin arms around his waist, neither of them breaking eye contact, "It's all because I've fallen in love with you, Kuro-sama…" he laughed softly, "I've fallen so helplessly in love with you… and it's the most wonderful feeling ever!"

Kurogane was silent, and his face was blank with shock, before breaking out into the widest grin that anybody would ever see him in, and he hugged Fai tighter to himself, kissing him deeply. Fai mewled happily, though it was muffled by Kurogane's mouth, and tiptoed into the warm, loving embrace that he had craved for most, if not all of his life.

X o X o X

Fai blinked slowly awake, slightly disorientated for a moment. He was lying on something that was very warm, very comfy, and breathing. He grinned down at Kurogane and pulled the blanket further around them, resting his head back on his lover's bare chest with a content sigh, his first thought being how he wouldn't mind waking up like this every morning.

The first thing Kurogane thought when he woke up, however, was to never sleep with his head practically rolling off of the side of the couch again.

"Morning sexy!" Fai chirped from somewhere on top of him.

The second thing Kurogane thought when he woke up was to never sleep on the couch underneath Fai again.

"Morning…" he grunted, head spinning after he looked up too quickly. Fai's smile faltered and he sat back, cringing slightly.

"What?"

Fai's megawatt smile dinged on and he replied "Nothing, Kuro-pii! But we should take a shower, we're so _sticky_!"

Kurogane looked down. Yes. They were very sticky.

"I'd rather get a lot stickier!" Kurogane replied, smirking wolfishly and pulling Fai back against him.

Fai grimaced and flinched away.

Kurogane sighed. "Fai, what's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Fai defended, looking away, rubbing his neck "It just… hurts a little…"

Kurogane smiled and patted his blonde head. "Let's go get that shower."

-

Fai mewled happily as Kurogane's talented hands rubbed the knots out of his aching muscles, the hot water soothing anything the taller man would miss.

"I'm guessing you won't want to do it on the couch for a while, then." Kurogane's amused voice commented from behind him. Fai hummed in response, sinking against the tiles.

"I dunno," he replied slowly, looking over his shoulder, "If this is part of it, we might have to more often!"

"Like hell we will." Kurogane muttered, smirking, "Come on, we gotta get ready for school."

Fai groaned, already missing the warmth the other had given him, before begrudgingly going to get dressed.

X o X o X

For Kurogane, the day passed smoothly (especially seeing as the purple-headed Chinese brat wasn't there to piss him off) and he was hurrying off to the science block before any revision classes could begin, obviously not wanting to repeat events of the previous day.

A quick peek into each science room told him that the students had left, and apparently so had Fai. That was, until he noticed the idiot's bag still sat by the teacher's desk, with Fai's pencil case and planner and other papers scattered over the desk.

Kurogane made a mental note to start badgering Fai into tidying up after himself, especially seeing as Kurogane cleared up the blonde's crap at home and didn't want to end up doing it at work too. Then he realised that PE and science were on opposite sides of the school and so Fai's mess was someone else's problem, and decided not to bother.

"Are you waiting for Fai-sensei, Kurogane-sensei?"

Kurogane jumped, unaware of anybody else being in the hallways. He spun around to see one of Fai's students, the blonde girl with a vacant expression and skin so pale that she could probably pass as dead.

"No!" he replied on reflex. Well, he _wasn't_! He had only peeked in to see where the hell the idiot had gotten to, and had stood… _thinking_ about it for ten minutes. He wasn't waiting.

The kid blinked.

"Well… he was asked to go and see Yuuko-sensei near the end of lesson." she added quietly, looking into the empty classroom, "I went to get my book and came back to see if he was still here… but I guess not…"

Kurogane nodded.

"I'll go home then." she stated, smiling kindly up at Kurogane, "Good night, Kurogane-sensei!"

Kurogane nodded again and started in the direction of Yuuko's office. And it _wasn't_ because he was waiting, because proud PE teachers do _not_ wait! It was because… It was Fai's turn to cook dinner, and he wanted to know if Yuuko'd be much longer.

Yeah.

-

Kurogane knocked once and entered without waiting for permission. What in the hell was taking so long?!

Yuuko looked up and Kurogane, her face serious. Fai was halfway out of his chair before Kurogane was even in the room.

"Kurogane-sensei, could you please le—"

"He's fine." Fai interrupted, his voice weary, "We're done here anyway."

Yuuko paused, but nodded once.

Fai brushed past Kurogane without eye contact, his bangs covering his eyes.

"Fai-sensei," Yuuko called,

Fai stopped.

"At least _consider_ my offer."

Fai licked his lips before giving a bitter smile.

"I won't run any more, Yuuko-sensei," he replied, no trace of a joke in his voice, "And I'd rather you'd leave it be."

Fai walked off and Kurogane bid Yuuko goodnight, shutting the door behind him and jogging after the blonde.

"What was _that_ about?"

"I wonder what we should have for dinner…" Fai grinned, ignoring Kurogane's question.

Kurogane bit back an angry retort, settling instead for folding his arms and scowling at the posters on the wall. If Fai didn't want to tell him, there was no use working them both into a temper over it.

Besides, he had something much more important to think over.

X o X o X

"You think this'll be enough?" Fai asked, holding a big bag of noodles so close to Kurogane's face that he could read the small print without squinting, "I usually make udon for more than two people, so I don't know, you think we'll eat that much? Should I just get two small packs and—"

"They'll be fine, idiot." Kurogane growled, pushing the bag away from his face and into the basket hanging off of Fai's skinny arm.

Fai was silent for a few seconds, his eyes scanning the shelves, before he hopped off to the alcohol aisle.

Kurogane sighed; following (someone had to protect the public, after all) and making sure Fai didn't put too much vodka in.

"Oooh! That looks nice! Neh neh, Kuro-min! What's 'saidaa'?" Fai asked loudly and quickly, introducing a bottle of Magners to Kurogane's line of vision, his accent slipping into the near-incoherent, "I think I remember having it when I was younger, Yuui was making something with it and he—"

"_Fai_! Calm _down_!" Kurogane hissed, putting the cider back onto the rack, "You're scaring the kids!"

They both looked to the side, where a small group of hooded teenagers stood, staring back at them.

Kurogane cocked an eyebrow. "What are a group of brats doing in the alcohol?"

One of them grinned. "Buy us some Stella?"

"FUCK, no!" Kurogane practically yelled, making them all yelp and skitter away. Fai laughed loudly.

"I thought _I _was 'scaring the kids'?" he commented through giggles, putting Kurogane's favourite Sake into the basket instead.

Kurogane grumbled and followed the crazy blonde, inwardly glad he'd managed to cheer him up a bit.

X o X o X

Luckily for them, the train wasn't as crowded as usual, probably something to do with how late it was. Kurogane didn't care, and he understandably preferred the trains empty; it eliminated the chance of their dinner getting stolen.

Kurogane was holding the bags after being annoyed by Fai's whining of how his arms were getting tired and the plastic was pinching his skin and Kuro-woof wouldn't get any for a while if he didn't take the damn shopping off of him.

Ah well, at least Fai had given him a nice kiss in gratitude. Or praise. Or both.

They were stood by the door (as it seemed to be the only place that the windows hadn't been tagged or scratched into opaqueness), and while Fai was staring at the towns shooting past, Kurogane was staring at Fai, nerves rising in his chest.

He swallowed thickly and coughed. Fai looked up at him quizzically. He felt the blush rise on his face and he began to panic slightly.

_Ah hell._

"Marry me." he blurted out.

X o X o X

**Real plot in T minus one chapter XD**

**Next Chapter Preview:**

_Fai's eyes were wide, and his skin was pale, his expression one of shock._

"_M-marry?" he asked after a while, his voice shaking and high._

"…_Yeah" Kurogane confirmed, dread solidifying in his gut._

_Fai swallowed, frowning slightly, looking back out of the window. Kurogane waited nervously for his answer, slightly regretting ever asking the question in the first place._


	4. Sorosoro Ikanakucha

Stolen

**Stolen**

**Chapter Four – Sorosoro Ikanakucha**

--

_Last Time:_

_He swallowed thickly and coughed. Fai looked up at him quizzically. He felt the blush rise on his face and he began to panic slightly._

Ah hell.

"_Marry me." he blurted out._

--

Fai's eyes were wide, and his skin was pale, his expression one of shock.

"M-marry?" he asked after a while, his voice shaking and high.

"…Yeah" Kurogane confirmed, dread solidifying in his gut.

Fai swallowed, frowning slightly, looking back out of the window. Kurogane waited nervously for his answer, slightly regretting ever asking the question in the first place. Fai's response, however, felt as harsh as a shot in the chest.

"I… I can't, Kurogane…" Fai murmured, hiding behind his protective curtain of hair.

Not even the metallic shredding of the train on its tracks cut into the pained, distressing silence that wound into his heart, which felt as if it had been filled with lead.

"Oh…" he said, after a long, tense pause. His voice trembled uncharacteristically, also higher in pitch than usual, "Okay, I mean if you don't want to, then I guess—"

"It's not because I don't want to!" Fai cut in, his head snapping up and his frightened, wide eyes staring deep into Kurogane's hurt red ones, "It's because… its because I… I'm not… ready…"

Kurogane nodded. It wasn't as bad as the initial blow, but the pain of rejection still lingered.

Needless to say, the rest of the train journey was made in silence.

X o X o X

A week had passed since Kurogane's spontaneous proposal, and he was regretting it more and more each day.

Fai had been acting normal at school and when people visited, but as soon as they were alone, he became quiet and withdrawn. He no longer pranced around the house naked in the mornings, he hardly ever cuddled Kurogane on the sofa or in bed, and the closest thing they'd had to intimacy was a shy peck on the cheek or, if Fai'd had a few drinks, on the lips.

He had been mulling over it for a few days, and had decided on a plan of action.

1. Tell Fai he understood (barely) why he wasn't ready

2. Let Fai know that he doesn't mind; that there's no rush

And if all else fails:

3. Ring Yuui.

The only problem was opportunity. Fai didn't hold much conversation with him anymore, so dropping it in casually was out of the question, whereas walking right up to him and stating plainly what he wanted Fai to know might put pressure on the blonde, causing him to retreat more.

He sighed in resignation and picked up the phone.

X o X o X

"Why are we here, again?"

Yuui grinned at Fai over his hot chocolate. He had 'courageously' come to Kurogane's rescue, and, concealing his true motive, offered to take his twin out for a coffee. Which wasn't too logical, as they both hated coffee, but since when did logic apply to either of them?

"I need an excuse to take my _favourite_ twin out for a drink and a chat?"

Fai smirked back and stirred his tea. They both knew he knew what Yuui meant. As children, they had decided that a secret language of gibberish was too conspicuous, so instead learned to communicate secretly by reading the hidden meanings behind actions and words. To anyone else, Yuui's reply was innocent and only slightly evasive, whereas the true meaning was along the lines of _'I know there's something wrong and I want to help.'_

"Of course not. But you could just pick up the phone."

"Ah, but why bother when you're a short drive away?"

Fai paused, studying his reflection in the murky brown liquid. He sighed.

"I suppose you're right. It's nice to actually see you once in a while."

Yuui nodded, "So how's life?"

Fai grinned, "Life-like!"

"That bad, huh?" Yuui laughed, "Anyone'd think you were avoiding the question!"

Fai's smile slid off of his face. Yuui wanted him to say it properly; not in 'their' way.

He opened his mouth, not really knowing where to start.

"Kurogane… proposed… last week." he replied, quietly, staring back at down his tea.

Yuui gasped and a wild grin spread over his face.

"REALLY? Wow! I'm so happy for you; I'm the best man, right?" Yuui suddenly laughed, "Will you be wearing a dress? I guess I'd have to give you away, so who's gonna be the—"

"I said no."

Yuui trailed off, his grin disappearing. He frowned.

"Okay… I'm confused."

"I… I just…" Fai trailed off, before groaning in frustration and running a hand through his hair, "It's... happening so… fast. _Too_ fast."

Yuui inclined his head in understanding, before drinking more hot chocolate.

"Does Kurogane know this?"

Fai looked up, confused. Yuui set his cup back on the table, staring his brother right in the eyes. It had always been Fai helping him out when he was in a pinch, or when he was feeling down. Now, it was finally his turn.

"I know you know Kurogane rang me and asked for my assistance, nii-san. And I know he might try and say he understands, but we both know he doesn't, because he doesn't know about… that time. _Or _about that person."

Fai looked away, painful guilt evident in his expression, but Yuui didn't relent.

"Kurogane is being patient now, but you can't go on like this. Even if you can't tell him all of the truth, at least tell him enough to understand!"

"I… don't know how…"

Yuui smiled, and his voice softened. He was getting through. He put a hand over Fai's in comfort, and their eyes met again.

"Just tell him exactly what you're feeling, even if you don't know why you're feeling it. And for God's sake, tell the _truth_!"

Fai winced, shrinking away.

"If you don't, you will lose the best thing you've ever had." Yuui finished, drinking the last of his beverage.

They left, and Fai's tea sat on the table, untouched.

X o X o X

When the twins stumbled back into the apartment a few hours later, Kurogane knew before he saw them that they'd not just been drinking 'coffee'.

Kurogane had given up waiting for them and had gone to bed, and as a result was awoken at some ungodly hour of the morning by loud giggling and clattering and other random noises coming from the hall. He pushed himself groggily out of bed and into the main room, where the twins where trying (and nearly failing) to hold each other up and singing something Kurogane remembered was called an "Irish Drinking Song".

Whatever "Irish" was.

Balancing his twin over the edge of the sofa, the one Kurogane supposed was Fai trotted over to him and gave him a long, sweet kiss, pressing himself closer to Kurogane than he had during the entire week, winding his long arms around Kurogane's strong waist.

He noticed absently that Fai tasted like a mix of Bacardi and chocolate, and wondered for a moment which he disliked more, before the blond pulled away and nuzzled happily into his chest.

"Any reason you're both completely rat-arsed on a Wednesday?" Kurogane growled, resting his hand on Fai's hip to help keep him upright.

"Yuui thought that Fai was upset and needed a good night out." the twin hanging over the sofa replied, voice slightly muffled by the cushions and slurred by the drink.

Something beeped.

Fai was making his way up Kurogane's neck with wet kisses, purring softly.

"Fai, not while your twin is filming us." Kurogane warned, pushing him away slightly.

The blonde smirked.

"What makes you think I'm Fai?"

Kurogane gaped at him as he giggled insanely, walking back over to his clone and draping an arm around him, "Don't worry, Kuro-tan-sensei! I'm only kidding! Aren't I Yuui?"

Yuui looked up in confusion, dropping the camera back onto the sofa.

"I thought I was Fai?"

Fai's smile evaporated and they both bore equal looks of confusion and concentration, which Kurogane would have found utterly hilarious if he had been anyone else.

"If you're Fai, then who am I?" the one on the left asked, though Kurogane swore he was asking the floor lamp instead of his brother, but soon remembered that they had probably each had more drink than their combined weight and didn't pay too much attention to it, herding them both towards the spare room.

"When you wake up, you better remember who's who. There's no way in hell I'm gonna date both of you; one is enough."

They both whined and said, in perfect slurred chorus: "Kuro-sama is so mean!"

Kurogane's eye twitched and he shut the door on them, subconsciously knowing that not even a door would shield him from the twins' craziness, and deposited himself on the sofa.

X o X o X

Kurogane smirked wolfishly as he opened the door, spotting his love flopped on the bed, shying away from the light from the hall.

He flipped the camera open and started recording.

"This is Fai the morning after 6 Vodka shots, 2 Martinis, a Cosmo and a White Russian!"

Aah, sweet revenge.

Fai groaned and turned away from the camera, a muffled "oww dyou whow ats wha-I hab?" drifting over from him, which Kurogane quickly mentally translated as "How do you know that's what I had," before realising that over-exposure to Fai had obviously made him fluent in Hangover.

"The barmaid rang a few minutes ago to see if you two made it home alive." Kurogane replied, almost cheerily, closing the door and snapping the camera shut.

Fai turned his head around cautiously, his tired eyes half-lidded and bleary.

"Where's Yuui?" he murmured, his throat feeling like sandpaper. Even at 2 centimetres away from the pillow, his vision swam, and he groaned and squeezed his eyes shut, burying himself back into it.

Kurogane sat next to Fai and ruffled his hair, eliciting an annoyed whine from the blonde.

"He was up about an hour ago, not hungover at all."

Fai grumbled incoherently before shuddering and struggling himself into a sitting position, leaning fully against Kurogane, his eyes still clamped shut.

"Problem?"

"Gonna… be sick…" Fai suddenly slapped a hand over his mouth and bolted across the hall into the bathroom. Kurogane rolled his eyes and stood against the doorframe, Yuui soon coming along to peek over his shoulder.

"You _could_ help him." Yuui reminded, nudging Kurogane's elbow. Red eyes glared at him.

"I'm not the one who got him drunk in the first place."

"True," Yuui nodded, "but I'm not the one who wants to get back into his pants."

Kurogane whapped him around the head and turned around, stalking off down the hall.

"You know that's the wrong direction, right?" Yuui called, finally going in to help keep the hair out of his brother's face.

"I'm getting water, smartass!"

Yuui grinned and rubbed Fai's back.

When Fai had finished, he shakily wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and stood up, his wobbly frame supported by his twin, and was guided back to bed, greeted with the wonderful numbness only ibuprofen can bring before falling gratefully into sleep.

It wasn't long until he woke up again, the room now shaded blue as the sun tried to bathe the curtained room in its light, someone gently running their fingers through his hair.

"That was probably one White Russian too many…" he joked feebly, trying to sit up, being swarmed by the insects of nausea yet again before giving up and flopping his head back onto the pillow.

"You should stay home today."

He opened a weary eye at his love.

"Stay with me?"

Kurogane petted his head more, telling him to grow up and that he couldn't because Yuuko'd never leave them alone for it.

Something flickered in Fai's eyes, disappearing before Kurogane could identify it properly, before the blonde covered it with a weak smile and a soft sigh of agreement. Kurogane bent down to kiss the top of Fai's head before leaving and heading off to school.

X o X o X

He didn't know what the hell was bothering him, but he sure as damn wanted it to _fuck off! _

Something had been niggling at the back of his mind ever since he left the apartment, but he saw no rationality in whatever it was that had dropped the stone of dread into the pit of his stomach.

He'd locked the door, shut the windows and turned the iron off. There were no small children, no live wires that were likely to be randomly cut into, no air vents that had been covered, no suicidal bunnies with graters or drills or the DVD player. The only liability in the apartment was Fai, who was fine.

Hungover and unconscious, yes, but otherwise fine.

He sat in the staff room, at Fai's desk for some reason, angrily tapping on the wood and ignoring the fact that Fai had at least five pictures of the both of them together, framed and on display right in front of him.

"Hmmm, what have we here?"

Kurogane sighed, not even looking up.

"Leave me alone, witch."

Yuuko's smirk widened and she leaned over the desk to stare Kurogane straight in the eye.

"Is the good puppy waiting for his master?" she cooed annoyingly, patting his head condescendingly.

"Hell. No." Kurogane growled, waving the woman's hand away, "Fai's home today."

Yuuko's smile faltered.

"…And you left him on his own?"

Kurogane raised an eyebrow.

"Yes… He's a grown man, I'm sure he can take care of himself…" he replied in an are-you-more-stupid-than-you-look tone of voice.

Yuuko covered her eyes with a hand, standing up straight.

"He didn't tell you, did he?"

"Tell me what?"

Yuuko was silent, studying Kurogane's face for a while. The gym teacher didn't know why, but it suddenly felt like the dread stone had doubled in size.

"You need to go home. Right now." She said after a short while, staring Kurogane right in the eyes again, all traces of sarcasm gone, and he practically felt himself pale, not at the stare, but at the instinctive panic that such a line would bring to anyone.

"W-what the hell are you talking about?" he asked, voice wavering involuntarily.

"Fai-sensei is in danger. If you don't get home as soon as possible, it will be too late."


	5. Zankou

Stolen

**Stolen**

**Chapter Five - Zankou**

_Dakara, Itsumo._

--

_Last Time:_

_Yuuko was silent, studying Kurogane's face for a while. The gym teacher didn't know why, but it suddenly felt like the dread stone had doubled in size._

"_You need to go home. Right now." She said after a short while, staring Kurogane right in the eyes again, all traces of sarcasm gone, and he practically felt himself pale, not at the stare, but at the instinctive panic that such a line would bring to anyone._

"_W-what the hell are you talking about?" he asked, voice wavering involuntarily._

"_Fai-sensei is in danger. __If you don't get home as soon as possible, it will be too late."_

--

As soon as Kurogane stepped off of the train, he was sprinting towards the apartment, buildings and crowds flashing past him. He burst into the apartment building and flew up the stairs, never relenting in his furious speed, pulling his keys out of his coat pocket as he neared the door.

He struggled to unlock it, however, as nervous adrenaline coursed through his veins, making his muscles respond awkwardly and shakily.

The latch clicked and he hesitated briefly, expecting the home to be completely ransacked, with pools of blood soaking the carpets and staining the walls. He shook his head; now wasn't the time for thoughts. Now was the time for action. He threw the door open and was momentarily stunned by the lack of chaos, before charging across the main room into the hall, his footsteps echoing eerily around him.

Kurogane's hand clasped the door handle and he instantly recoiled as if shocked; the waste magic from inside tingling up his spine and making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He frowned and rammed the door open with his shoulder, wishing briefly that he hadn't made sure the handles were strong before buying them, before the door swung open and revealed to him…

…Nothing.

Nothing out of the ordinary, anyway. Nothing to suggest a struggle. Nothing to show for the surge of magic Kurogane was sure he'd experienced after stepping through the doorway. Nothing that even implied the blonde science teacher had been in here mere hours before, groaning from sickness and hiding in the bedcovers.

Kurogane gulped and backtracked, checking through all of the rooms until he was satisfied that Yuuko was pulling his arm and that Fai had probably either gone back to the bar or gone to buy more alcohol so that he wouldn't "suffer sober", as Kurogane remembered him say once.

There was no way that Fai had been--

The phone rang, jolting him from his thoughts. He calmed his skittering heartbeat as best he could before answering.

"You were too late."

It wasn't a question, and Kurogane guessed Yuuko'd known he'd be 'too late' all along. However, she'd continued before he could answer.

"Come to my shop. It isn't far from you."

Click. Dial tone. Cursing.

Kurogane ran his fingers through his hair agitatedly.

The likelihood of Fai just upping and going out without calling him or leaving a note taped to the bedpost was slim to none, and nobody would go this far for a prank, not even Yuuko.

Panic teased at his heart before he suppressed it, shaking his head clear. He stood and left the apartment, heading to Yuuko's.

She had some explaining to do, after all.

X o X o X

The sky was dark when he stepped outside. It would rain soon, not that he cared.

He took off down the street, noticing dimly that he had never been to Yuuko's shop before and had no directions to it, but he still knew where to go.

He pushed through the thick crowds, getting angry shouts from some people and frightened squeals from others, but he didn't care. He didn't even spare as much as a backwards glance.

'_Why didn't I stay with him?' _He thought angrily, narrowly dodging a group of small children, '_He even asked me to and he—'_

Kurogane remembered the morning. The emotion that had flickered across Fai's expression when he refused to stay. He slowed a little, understanding worming its way into him.

'_He knew this would happen!'_

The afternoon before, outside Yuuko's office. When she asked Fai to "consider her offer". When he replied that he wasn't going to run anymore.

'_The idiots both knew this was going to happen and neither of them said anything!'_

He sped up, now sprinting as fast as he could down the streets, adrenaline and anger fuelling him, swearing on his entire family that if Yuuko didn't tell him what had happened to his blonde lover, there'd be hell to pay.

X o X o X

Apart from being utterly freaked out by Maru and Moro, Kurogane figured that Yuuko's shop wasn't too strange. In fact, the only thing really strange about it was the fact it was an old style house surrounded by modern skyscrapers, right in the heart of Tokyo.

He didn't see the inside, for Yuuko was waiting for him in out in the front, wearing an odd black dress and a serious expression, neither of which he'd ever seen from her before. Two students, Watanuki and Doumeki, were behind her, as were the two creepy girls, and there was a strange black… rabbit sat on Watanuki's head.

Yes. Not strange at all.

Kurogane adopted his usual scowl, waiting for her to make the first move.

"If you know where Fai is, you better tell me. And I don't care if you are my boss." he growled threateningly, when it seemed she wouldn't make the first move after all.

Yuuko smirked, "Of course I know where Fai-sensei has been taken, but I'd watch your mouth if I were you. Especially as I'm the only one with the power to get you to him. _If_ you make the right wish."

Kurogane's scowl grew into a full-blown glare, as if he was trying to intimidate her into letting up, before grumbling loudly: "I want to go and save Fai."

Yuuko's smirk widened at Kurogane's submission.

"There is a price to go and retrieve him, and I'm afraid you alone don't have enough to pay it,"

She paused, and rain began to fall slowly from the skies as they rumbled menacingly,

"Fai-sensei has been taken to another world."

"Another world?" Kurogane repeated sceptically.

"Another dimension, if you will."

"Right."

"You wish to be able to cross dimensions to find him," Yuuko stated, not expecting a reply from the taller teacher, though she got one in the form of a gruff nod, "Usually, you would not be able to pay any equivalent price I could name, however, you are in luck."

Kurogane looked up slightly, hopefully, and Yuuko's smirk softened somewhat into a smile.

"I already have a group travelling dimensions, and I'm sure they'd be happy for you to join them. However, this also requires a suitable price."

Thunder crackled in the distance.

"Your price is to travel with this group and help them regain feathers. Feathers that have tremendous magical power and are the memories of the young princess that is with them."

Kurogane nodded without hesitation, and Yuuko turned to the kids.

"Mokona, contact the other Mokona for me."

The rabbit thing _smiled _and hopped over to Yuuko, resting on her shoulder. A projection appeared from the jewel on its forehead, which it had directed off to the side.

"Yuuko!" something from the screen exclaimed, before the view bounced and the… whatever it was came up to what Kurogane assumed was a reflection of itself.

"Hello, Mokona." Yuuko smiled, and the white clone of the black rabbit smiled in response.

"Did you want to talk to everyone? 'cos they've gone to battle!" it asked, using up the rest of Kurogane's Surprise Toleration for the year.

"Mokona, I believe you know Kurogane-sensei." Yuuko signalled to the stunned teacher in front of her, who was about to ask how the hell a little meat bun would know him, before it "aah!"ed in recognition.

"He looks like Kuro-pin!"

"MY NAME IS KUROGANE!" he yelled back out of reflex, before he recoiled slightly, realising subconsciously what that could mean. If Yuuko noticed Kurogane's observation, she didn't comment on it.

"Kurogane-sensei has lost something very important to him, and he'll be joining you on your journey for a while until he finds it. He'll help you search for the feathers, as it was his price. Part of it, anyway." her grin widened sadistically, to the point it made everyone in the vicinity shudder slightly.

The white thing nodded.

"Sakura-chan and I are going to the battle field to meet with everyone! We'll be back soon!"

The communication ended. Yuuko rounded on Kurogane.

"The other part of your price is… You must travel with this group and live with being completely on your own as the relationship between the other Fai and Kurogane grows."

Kurogane was about to demand to know what the hell she meant, when suddenly a massive drop stretched down from the sky between them, bursting to reveal the backs of four people, all of which he swore he recognised.

"WHY IS IT THAT THIS IS THE ONLY TIME YOU LAND US RIGHT, PORK BUN?!"

"Kuro-sama, stop being so mean to Mokona!"

Kurogane's eyes darkened and he stared between the newcomers' shoulders at Yuuko, who gave a sad smile in return.

"There is no coincidence in this world." she said softly, as if they were the only two there, "only Hitsuzen."

"Yuuko-sensei…" Watanuki started, walking slowly over to the Head Teacher, looking warily over at the two Mokonas, who were embracing on the other Fai's head, "Don't you think this is a little… cruel?"

"That woman wouldn't recognise cruelty if it came and stole her alcohol, kid." Kurogane growled, his voice pained, his head dipped slightly, his eyes now staring at the witch with hatred.

The four travellers turned around at the sound of another voice, somewhat surprised to see another Kurogane there.

"This is your price. Do you accept?" Yuuko said smoothly, immune to the looks she was receiving.

"Damn right." Kurogane replied arrogantly, walking forwards until he was stood in front of her, his expression betraying his uneasiness and distrust, "But I swear, if this is some sort of _trick," _he paused, clenching his fists, "I won't hesitate in killing you."

Yuuko's smirk was back, the witch intimidated neither by his height or his words, "Then you'd best be off. Time waits for no-one."

If Kurogane had turned to face the group, he would have seen the white Mokona sprout wings and a large magical circle appear under it as it sucked them all in.

X o X o X

**This was originally where I ended chapter 5… but when I wrote chapter 6, they were both so short that I decided to stick 6 on the end of 5 XD;**

**Enjoy chapter 5.2! XDD**

**Also, to distinguish between Fais, I'll refer to TRC Fai as Fay. I don't really know how I'll split the Kuros other than the TRC four calling him Kurogane-sensei… most of the Kurogane chapters will be in his POV (still in 3****rd**** person though) anyway, so just bear with me!**

X o X o X

Fai blinked his sore eyes open, and was shocked when he was greeted with a cold stone floor and a dark room that smelled damp and old and _decaying._

He shuddered and tried to stand, but found his wrists were bound to something that, after hearing a dull 'chink', he realised was metal.

He tried to call for help, but his throat was sore and his voice cracked painfully.

Panic gripped at him and his chest shrank in on itself as he gasped for breath, shivering and whimpering.

The room, no, _dungeon _was suddenly flooded with light as someone opened a heavy door and strode in, his posture strong and regal, his expression as cold as the frigid air that chilled Fai to his bones. Fai shrank back slightly into the wall before his mask fell back into place and he forced himself to relax and think rationally.

The man smiled, though it made him seem no warmer, and gazed down at Fai, who couldn't help but notice that he wasn't even really looking at him. The man suddenly turned around.

"Chii, his dinner please."

His voice was strong and smooth, and could have just as easily been used to charm women off of their feet, Fai thought idly. His eyes then flickered to the small girl who had just entered, keeping back a gasp at how similar she looked to one of his students.

Chii dropped the tray in front of him and turned, standing behind the man whom was obviously her… master? Owner? Something along those lines.

Fai tore his gaze away from the girl and her master to look down at his tray, not really processing what its contents were.

"You're being fed because you aren't my prisoner, dear Fai."

Fai's head snapped up in shock. How did he know his name?

The man's smile widened softly, looking almost pained, "You are a hostage. There's no point wishing for anyone to come for you soon, my pet, as I'm afraid we're in a world… different to your own."

Fai let out a small breath. The man raised an eyebrow.

"You don't seem as panicked as I thought you'd be…" he commented slyly.

Fai started slowly, testing the waters. "You travelled across worlds to get me, and I'm guessing _specifically_ me, as you knew my name… you won't kill me."

The man said nothing, so Fai carried on with more confidence.

"And you said I'm a hostage. That means I'm not really what you want, am I? I'm just bait." he spat the last word, the volume of his voice climbing.

"But why would you go to such…" Fai trailed off, suddenly realising that getting angry at his captor wasn't really a smart move, no matter how far the man had travelled to get him.

"Very good…" the man chuckled, his tone sinister enough to make Fai shrink back a bit. The man swooped down on him, lifting Fai's chin with a cold index finger, their faces intimately close, "But you got one thing wrong… just because I can't _kill_ you… it doesn't mean I can't _hurt_ you."

Fai flinched as the man's fingernail left a small cut along his jaw. His captor grinned maliciously and made his exit, telling Chii to stay with Fai.

"Yes, Ashura-ou." she replied monotonously.

The door slammed shut, throwing them both back into darkness.

X o X o X

"So… your name is Kuro-pon?"

"Kurogane" the man in question growled, not looking the blonde in the eye, but rather pretending he was looking at the new world they'd arrived in.

"But you look just like our Kuro-rin!" the white thing chimed

"KUROGANE!" the other one yelled, grabbing Mokona from off of his head and throwing him at Fay, "Leave him alone, mage! He probably doesn't want you near him either!"

Kurogane studied his double for a few moments before averting his gaze, not wanting to admit how right he was.

"Um…" Sakura started, blushing cutely, looking timidly up at the new Kurogane, "What is it that Kurogane-san is looking for?" she asked quietly, before looking away and blushing deeper, "I was thinking we could help him look!"

Kurogane smirked bitterly, not answering, pain flashing in his eyes.

Fay and Syaoran easily caught on to the look, so the two of them managed easily to redirect the conversation to observations of the new world they were in.

Kurogane gave a rumbling sigh, Fay's faraway babbling squeezing his heart. He knew what Yuuko meant, he noted dully, as he looked around, ignoring the inquisitive glances from his companions and studying the scenery that was so very different yet so very similar to him.

He truly was alone now.

X o X o X o X

**This is the last chapter I have so far, so if you want to get me re-inspired to write this, the blue/purple review button is just down there!**

**Dao Lian**


	6. Synchronicity

Stolen

**Stolen**

**Chapter Six - Synchronicity**

_Kimi wa hitori de doko e yuku no?_

--

_Last Time:_

_Kurogane gave a rumbling sigh, Fay's faraway babbling squeezing his heart. He knew what Yuuko meant, he noted dully, as he looked around, ignoring the inquisitive glances from his companions and studying the scenery that was so very different yet so very nostalgic to him._

_He truly was alone now._

--

Kurogane stared emotionlessly at the scene in front of him, experience making it easier to ignore the pangs of nostalgia that beat dully in his chest, fully aware that seeing everyone collapsed drunk on random surfaces, floors and other people was a strange thing to experience homesickness over.

They were in the world called Piffle, and after a series of things called "dragonfly races" had finally acquired the princess's feather as the prize. They had been at an after party, during which the Fay-copy and white thing had pranced around, begging the other Kurogane and the other Syaoran to lift their apparent "drinking ban" on him, even though the willowy blonde already looked drunk. One thing lead to another, and with the strange charisma that Fay possessed, it wasn't long before everyone in the room was utterly splifficated too. Kurogane had forced himself to leave the room and go upstairs to sleep when thoughts such as _'you could fuck him and he wouldn't remember' _surfaced in his mind.

He didn't know how long they'd been in Piffle; all the days were starting to blend together after a while, and he'd stopped paying any real attention to them. He knew it had been weeks since he'd last seen Fai, _his _Fai, and it seemed like neither the longing ache of his body or the sensual vividness of his dreams were going to let him forget it, and he was really beginning to get desperate.

Across the room, Sakura blinked herself awake, promptly screaming at seeing the "dead bodies" of all of her friends, and running over to wake Syaoran. Kurogane grimaced and backtracked out of the room, not wanting to be around when everyone was moaning of a communal hangover.

X o X o X

Fay hummed cheerily to himself as he took up his self-appointed-motherly duties such as, in this case, the laundry. He couldn't help but remember those carefree days in Ruval Castle where laundry was taken care of by the maids and cooking was done by the kitchen staff and other mundane household tasks were most definitely _not _his problem.

Ah well. It was probably for the best, in the end. After all, if he wouldn't use his magic, he wasn't useful for much more than the life of a servant.

A soft voice in his head knocked him away from his thoughts.

'_Fay, please, there isn't much time.'_

Fay's eyes widened.

'_Chii?' he replied, 'Are you alright? Is Ashura—'_

'_There isn't time! It won't be long before Ashura-ou realises Chii has broken away from his magic, so please, listen!'_

Fay hummed in confirmation, clattering around in the small laundry room so that nobody would walk in and see him in the state he knew he was in.

'_Ashura-ou has kidnapped someone, and at first Chii thought it was you, Fay.'_

'_You thought he was me?'_

'_Un! Chii could sense that he had the same soul as Fay, and Chii thought she saw he had blonde hair too!"_

Fay frowned. Why would Ashura-ou kidnap someone _like _him? Surely Ashura-ou was fully capable of hunting him down, no matter how much Fay recoiled at the thought, so why would his king take someone who was only similar to him?

Then again, it might not have been another Fay at all. Blonde hair wasn't uncommon in Celes and in surrounding countries, what with natural selection, and Chii wasn't really what Fay would call his smartest creation ever.

'_Chii, did you catch any conversation? Anything at all?'_

'_No…' _she replied sadly, _'Chii is under a spell, so Chii cannot hear things, and can only see some thi—…'_

'_Chii?'_

No good. He recognised the spell she described, and the fact that she wasn't talking anymore meant she was back under its influence.

Fay growled in frustration, pulling a large jacket out of the dirty washing basket with such ferocity that everything in one of the pockets spilled out onto the floor. Fay bit back a loud, angry curse and dropped down to his knees, collecting strange coins and hard boiled sweets and… something he remembered was called a 'whistle', which he thought was stupid, as his incessant 'hyuu'ing sounded more like whistling than this annoying tinny thing did.

He left the trinkets on the counter and thrust his hand back into the pocket. He recoiled with a hiss, sucking the small amount of blood drawn from his fingertip. He tried again, this time reaching in carefully, and pulling out something round and shiny, with 'kanji' written on one of the sides in black ink. He remembered Mokona had called it a DVD.

Fay blinked with curiosity, putting it on the side. After he had put all of the washing on, he took the DVD and hopped into the lounge, wondering briefly why everyone else seemed to have gone feather-searching without him, before his curiosity for the shiny object overtook his sudden loneliness. He put it into a 'DVD player' in the same way he remembered the people on this world had shown them.

Fay blinked. He saw himself on a pale couch with brown cushions dotted around upon it, a blanket draped over his legs which were propped on a coffee table lazily. Past the sofa he saw a kitchen, and on the right of the other Fai was a darker alcove of wall, which he supposed was a hallway. He was smiling and nodding along to some jingle that was playing, probably from a "television", which wasn't on screen. Other-Fai seemed to notice the person with the camera, and laughed amusedly.

"_Yuui, put it down! Kuro-sama'll throw you out!"_

"_For videoing you?" came the bemused response. _The off-screen Fai smiled bitterly as his heart tugged.

"_For videoing, _Full stop_. He hates 'the damn thing'" Fai giggled, air quotes coming into use._

_Yuui turned the camera onto him and made a goofy face, complete with weird sounds and crossing his eyes, causing his Fai to burst out laughing off-shot._

"_You better be resting, Flourite!"_

"_Which one?" they replied, giggling, in perfect unison, as Kurogane appeared from the hallway, pulling a jumper on._

_Kurogane rolled his eyes, obviously used to such behaviour, before leaning over Fai._

"_You sure you'll be okay?"_

_Fai dipped his head back to answer, before Yuui beat him to it._

"_Worry not, brave sir Daidouji! I shall protect your beautiful maiden from the horrors of the Tummy Bug!"_

_Fai snerked at the 'maiden' comment, grinning back at the camera._

"_You," Kurogane growled, pointing at Yuui, "Camera, off. You," He looked back down at Fai, forcibly tilting the other's head back to meet his eye, "Sleep. Now."_

_Fai smiled innocently, replying with a cute "Yes, daddy!" before the PE teacher gave him a quick kiss, Yuui instantly starting to make gag noises._

_Fai laughed and Kurogane threw a pillow in his direction, grumbling for him to get a girlfriend._

"_Bit rich coming from you, Kurogane-sensei!" Yuui quipped._

_Kurogane ignored him and left, uttering a quick "I won't be back late"._

_Fai hummed, standing and stretching, heading for the hallway._

"_I better do as daddy says," he chirped, "I don't wanna be _punished_." His grin widened._

_Yuui snorted. "You perv!"_

"_Night!" Fai laughed, disappearing into the hallway._

The screen buzzed. Fay reached forward and switched it off, removing the disk.

He'd suspected as much, really. Between the nostalgic glances and the odd tension between them, it made sense that Kurogane-sensei had a Fai-sensei, and it made more sense for them to be dating, no, _living together _for the man to be so bent on retrieving him. Remembering the conversation with Chii, Fay's stomach dropped.

He guessed he wouldn't be allowed to never to return to Celes after all.

X o X o X

Fai shivered and drew his arms tighter around himself. He was exhausted, scared and hungry.

But worst of all, _alone. _

For some reason, he was more afraid of being alone as opposed to being afraid of his captor; Ashura-ou. He knew that, whoever the man was and whatever he wanted, he (Fai) wasn't going to be hurt in the process, so he saw no need to worry terribly over it.

Instead, his heart was gripped with loneliness and fear as to what had happened, if anything, to Kurogane. He didn't know how long he'd spent in the dank, dark cell, but however long it was had given him so much idle time to ponder what-ifs and maybes, and he had periodically stopped thinking rationally; for he now ate so little of his meals for fear of poison that he was certain he was losing weight and it was hard to move into a sitting position, should he ever decide to lie down.

The only break he had from searing loneliness was when Ashura-ou graced him with his presence, which was, admittedly, rather often considering he was just bait. There was also that cat-girl, Chii.

Chii usually bore no facial expression, and her movements were slightly stiff, as if she had not exercised her limbs in a while. If it were not for the lack of recognition or emotion in her honey-brown eyes, Fai would believe this was so. However, the science teacher was now fairly sure she was being possessed in some way, which was a bit of a long shot considering he had no history of studying or even believing in the existence of magic.

Five minutes in the same room as Ashura, though, and he was now positive such a thing existed, for his very spine and the hairs on the back of his neck tingled, not with fear, but with a deep adrenaline that was unlike anything he'd experienced previously.

This did not mean it was necessarily a pleasant sensation; it was quite the opposite. For it made him feel so utterly outcast, even against these two strange people, that the loneliness just intensified and he found himself waking from warm dreams, whimpering softly and his heart aching for some warm tea… and his warm bed… the sun streaming through gaps in the curtains, falling across the room. The sheets were rumpled and soft and a strong, tan arm was around his waist, cuddling his back into the stomach of his lover, warmth radiating between them.

His eyelashes fluttered closed again and he sighed happily, covering the larger hand with his own, stroking the knuckles absently and hugging them both closer together. He could feel Kurogane's face was buried in his tousled, silky blonde hair and he smiled as he felt the man breathe a deep sigh in contentment, the sound not breaking the calm peace that blanketed them both.

Kurogane suddenly reached up and put his hand on Fai's shoulder, shaking him gently.

"Mmmr" Fai mumbled; Kurogane's jostling getting rougher.

"Stop it, Kuro-pon…"

A harsh slap across his face and Fai's eyes shot open, the returning chill in his bones making him gasp and shudder before drawing in on himself, looking up at whoever it was with fear in his eyes.

The small amount of light there was allowed him to see enough to realise he was looking at that cat-girl, Chii. Her hands were clapped over her mouth and she was gushing apologies at him, her eyes full of worry.

She helped him sit upright and he groaned; his head spinning.

"Eat this," Chii held a spoonful of broth to his lips, "It isn't poisoned, and you need your strength." Too tired to protest, Fai let the boiling, thin liquid run down his throat. True to her word, the soup wasn't poisoned, and Fai was glad to realise his head felt the slightest bit clearer on a full stomach. He decided now was as good a time as any to voice some of his curiosities.

"This land is called Celes," Chii informed him, brushing his matted, dirty hair and pulling it back into a loose ponytail. He'd obviously been here a while for his hair to have grown so long, "it used to be full with nice people who taught Chii lots of things, but recently it's only been Ashura-ou and Chii here."

"What happened?"

Chii paused, her cute face blank. "Chii… doesn't remember…" she replied, downcast. Fai gave a friendly smile and reassured her that it was fine for her not to remember if she truly couldn't. She smiled prettily in return and made a comment along the lines of him being 'exactly the same'.

"The same as wh—"

"Chii has to go now," she gasped, her voice filled with urgency, "Ashura-ou cannot know about this, he does not realise Chii can resist the spell." she gathered up the empty bowls, her words decreasing in volume.

"What do you—"

"_Please!" _Chii interrupted, desperately, "Ashura-ou _cannot _know about this!"

Fai closed his mouth and nodded once. Satisfied, Chii left.

He was alone again.

X o X o X

Kurogane had settled into his role within the group easily. While his sword skills were nowhere near the level the other Kurogane had attained, he was still a competent fighter, and the other two adults seemed perfectly alright with leaving the kids in his care, should the need arise.

He and the other Kurogane were very alike; scarily so. During moments where he saw no need for his input, he watched the interaction between the blonde and the ninja. He was able to tell right from the start how close the two were, even though they weren't as close as he himself was to his Fai, and sometimes it pained him to see the small exchanges between the other two.

It wasn't jealousy. That he was sure of. It was more like… longing. Like when you're a teenager and everyone's at someone's party and you weren't invited, and even though you sure as hell didn't want to go, you still felt left out of the loop.

He shook his head vigorously. Meditation was not synonymous to daydreaming. It was a time for self-disciplined quiet reflection; and with the hectic lifestyle Kurogane had (he wasn't sure if Horitsuba was more stressful than his current circumstance); these precious minutes of calm thought and relaxation were nothing short of a blessing.

They had moved on from Piffle and were in a small, peaceful country, which meant he had enough time in the evenings to sit on the porch and listen calmly to the song of the cicadas and think of nothing at all, the slow clunk of the bamboo sculpture matching the slow beat of his heart.

He had been bothered more recently with how long it had been since this crazy adventure began. Sometimes he still didn't believe it was all happening, but the addition of new scars and lonely memories served as more than enough proof, and was positive it had been at least three months, if not more, and he missed his love terribly. Piffle and the worlds before had plagued him with dreams of passion and lust, his body aching in anticipation of the delicious, pale skin flush against his, fleeting kisses and teasing touches and the wild, unique adrenaline of sex pumping through his bloodstream, only to wake up unsatisfied and frustrated.

The dreams had now disappeared, though to him this was more worrying than anything. He could no longer remember those small things about Fai that drove him absolutely insane with desire and _love._ Pointless little things like how Fai would always know exactly what to say to him. How his blue eyes sparkled with emotion when the science teacher saw him after a tiring day at work. How his pale skin dusted a beautiful pink during their most intimate moments, lasting for hours after.

While now he no longer had the pulse of sexual frustration, he now had the heartache and longing for Fai to be back with him, back by his side.

Kurogane sighed and angrily ran a hand through his hair. He may have been travelling for months, but in all that time, he and Fai had never felt so far apart.


	7. Gravity

Stolen

**Stolen**

**Chapter Seven - Gravity**

_Been a long road to follow... been there and gone tomorrow…_

…_Without saying goodbye to yesterday…_

--

_Last Time:_

"_Chii has to go now," she gasped, her voice filled with urgency, "Ashura-ou cannot know about this, he does not realise Chii can resist the spell." she gathered up the empty bowls, her words decreasing in volume._

"_What do you—"_

"_Please!" Chii interrupted, desperately, "Ashura-ou cannot know about this!"_

_Fai closed his mouth and nodded once. Satisfied, Chii left._

_He was alone again._

--

Fai rested his cheek over Kurogane's heart and wrapped his thin arms around his waist, neither of them breaking eye contact, "It's all because I've fallen in love with you, Kuro-sama…" he laughed softly, "I've fallen so helplessly in love with you… and it's the most wonderful feeling ever!"

Kurogane was silent, and his face was blank with shock, before breaking out into the widest grin that anybody would ever see him in, and he hugged Fai tighter to himself, kissing him deeply. Fai mewled happily, though it was muffled by Kurogane's mouth, and tiptoed into the warm, loving embrace that he had craved for most, if not all of his life.

They were clinging to each other so tightly and so desperately that Fai could feel Kurogane's strong heart beating proudly against his chest, making him shiver and tremble with the rush of emotion that came with it. Kurogane suddenly broke off and disappeared briefly before Fai felt his legs go from beneath him and let out a yelp in surprise, only calming when he found himself cuddled to a familiar body and looking up into an equally familiar wolfish smirk. He didn't really have much time for a childish remark, however, as the larger man wasted no time in kissing him again, gently caressing Fai's tongue with his own.

Manoeuvring them over to the couch was harder than Kurogane first suspected, but at least Fai got a giggle out of the profanities that spilled from his mouth when his shin came into a rather painful contact with the edge of the coffee table. Kurogane pressed Fai into the couch beneath him, kissing him slowly and passionately. Fai tangled their legs together and pulled Kurogane tighter against him, shivering at the feeling of warm hands resting on his slim hips underneath his shirt, thumbs rubbing small circles in the dip of his abdomen. He tensed up when said hands started pushing said shirt off, causing Kurogane to part from him and sit back, a raised eyebrow conveying his confusion.

Fai blushed and looked away shyly; chewing on a thumbnail and pulling his shirt back down. Kurogane frowned and leaned back over the blonde, brushing some tousled hairs out of his eyes and cupping his cheek. Blue irises filled with cautiousness met his again.

"It's… different now…" Fai mumbled as explanation, his blush deepening, his eyes searching Kurogane's for his reaction. Kurogane smiled and swept Fai's hand away from his face, leaning in until their lips were but a breath apart.

"Don't worry," he replied quietly, a manner rarely exercised by him, "I won't hurt you." He finished his sentence with a long, but chaste, kiss. He felt Fai lean back into him and chose to deepen it slightly, cupping the back of Fai's head and tilting his own.

Fai opened his mouth tentatively, giving a small kitten lick to Kurogane's rough lips. Kurogane obeyed without hesitation, their tongues meeting and caressing tenderly, as if they were shy teenagers and this kiss was their first.

Fai sighed and relaxed into the familiar sensations tingling in his chest. He was nervous, and a little scared, and even when he lay panting and moaning and _beautifully _naked beneath Kurogane, the nerves didn't subside. He wasn't used to this; his instincts were screaming at him to run, to leave before he got any more attached than he already had.

Fai whimpered when his underwear was removed, his fear returning and chilling him to the core.

"You're really scared, aren't you?" Kurogane asked, tonelessly.

Fai opened his eyes slightly; unaware he'd even closed them. Kurogane had sat up again, and he was frowning, something flickering across his eyes.

Fai barely had time to register it as rejection before Kurogane threw the blanket over him and was getting up to leave. His hand reflexively shot out for Kurogane's wrist and the gym teacher paused, glancing over his shoulder at the blonde.

"Yes, I'm scared…" Fai murmured, pulling on Kurogane's arm to get him to sit back down, "you heard what I said earlier… and even though I've decided to not run from my problems anymore…" he placed Kurogane's hand over his heart, "I still want to do it, subconsciously… I don't know how to stop being scared, Kuro-pon…"

Kurogane said nothing, feeling Fai's erratic heart beating against his palm.

"You trust me, right?" he asked after a while. Fai blinked and opened his mouth to reply, but Kurogane jerked his arm, pulling Fai into his lap, "Well, I trust you," he added, cutting Fai off, pressing their foreheads together. Fai's eyes were wide, but with confusion, not fear.

"K-kuro-sama?" Fai whispered.

"I don't know what happened to make you like this," Kurogane said lowly, "but you don't have to be scared, Fai."

Fai nodded once and Kurogane reached up slowly to cup Fai's head again, giving him another sweet, lingering kiss. Words weren't his thing, and he needed Fai to understand that he wasn't going to hurt him, physically or emotionally.

He trailed wet kisses down Fai's slender, pale neck, the blonde sinking his head backwards and humming, his eyes slipping shut, his tousled hair falling away from his face and dripping down his shoulders in a gorgeous mess that, when Kurogane saw it, made him grin wolfishly and tangle his fingers in it. Fai gave a cat-got-the-canary smile and, ignoring the deep purple marks now accenting his collarbones, leaned down for a burning, fervent kiss that made them both moan and shiver.

When they parted, Kurogane smirked.

"You feel okay?"

Fai hummed and kissed him again, before purring an "I trust Kuro-rin!"

Kurogane rubbed down Fai's sides and the small of his back, tickling at a few sensitive spots before just resting his hands on Fai's hips. He wouldn't go any further unless Fai prompted him to, and at the moment Fai seemed rather busy with his earlobe. He sighed the blonde man's name before suckling gently on a pink nipple, grazing his teeth over it, relishing in the sweet mewls escaping Fai's lips. Kurogane growled deep in his throat and littered Fai's jawbone with butterfly kisses and sharp nips, leaving the skin pink and flushed.

Fai, panting, brought their lips together again and moaned into Kurogane's mouth, the slow synchronised beating of their hearts only amplifying the passion and need to become one. They wouldn't just be having sex anymore, for this was more than the release and the adrenaline and the heat. As clichéd as it was, this was different. This was about them feeling the same things, at the same time. This was about them being utterly stripped raw of barriers. _This_ was _making love._

Fai couldn't stop the grin that tugged at his lips at this thought, and was soon chuckling when their lips parted for the briefest second. They stopped, panting, both sharing an equal grin, keeping their foreheads pressed together, sweat making their bangs stick to their skin. Kurogane reached up and smoothed Fai's unruly hair away from his eyes, twisting his fingers into the silky locks and kissing him again tenderly, soft pecks to the lips and gentle fingers stroking jawlines and content smiles conveying their love for each other.

Slowly, after he was prepared and stretched by Kurogane's warm, oil-coated fingers, Fai pushed himself down on Kurogane's aching erection, both of them gasping and moaning and panting and leaning into one another. Kurogane kissed and licked Fai's pale neck, holding Fai's hips to help the blonde balance easier. They moaned breathily when Fai started lifting himself and slamming back down, wrapping his arms around Kurogane's neck and kissing him again deeply.

Soft whimpers and moans echoed around the room when they got into their rhythm, a calm, slow rocking of hips and needing kisses and heated breaths. Kurogane's hands angled slightly so that his thumbs could reach into the sensitive zone of Fai's inner thighs and rub teasingly at the soft skin, making the blonde arch into him and moan, his breath ragged, his movements strained and slower; he was having a hard time holding on. Kurogane moved his hands further and ran his fingertips down the span of Fai's inner thighs, adrenaline rushing at the feel of the smaller man shaking with uncontrollable passion. Kurogane was getting painfully close; Fai's desperation to keep moving resulted in his muscles tightening around Kurogane more and more with each thrust. It would only take a little more…

"Aah… Kuro-sama…"

Kurogane tensed and groaned lengthily into Fai's hair, his release washing over him, his hotness blossoming inside Fai bringing the blonde over the edge less than a second after him, a mewl emanating from deep in his throat as he collapsed, panting hard, against Kurogane.

The gym teacher buried his nose into Fai's dishevelled hair, kissing the spot behind his ear softly. Fai purred tiredly and nuzzled his cheek against the other's neck.

"Hey, Fai?"

Fai hummed and Kurogane leaned back slightly to be able to see his face. It was flushed cutely and his eyes were half open, a content smile on his reddened lips.

Kurogane pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"I love you too."

Fai's smile widened and he kissed Kurogane's chin, before promptly drifting off to sleep.

X o X o X

Kurogane's eyes snapped open and he sat up quickly, his heart pounding against his ribcage. He gulped air down and placed a hand over his chest to calm himself down.

He looked around sharply before realisation struck and he flopped back against the pillow with an annoyed groan, his heart dulled and aching.

"Kuro-senseiiiI!" Fay yelled as he burst into the room and started bouncing on the bed, an inhuman smile on his face, "It's time to get uuuuuup!"

"Fay," Kurogane growled threateningly, not even lifting his head off the pillow or opening his eyes, "get the fuck away from me before I put you outside."

Fay paused in his bouncing and crossed his arms, pouting cutely, "Kuro-wan-sensei's mean!"

"Mean Kuro-sensei!" Mokona chirped from somewhere dangerously close to his head. On reflex, he swatted at the white thing and rolled over, making it fall onto the floor.

"Both of you _piss off!" _he snapped, sitting up and trying to get Fay to lose his balance too. Unfortunately, the blonde landed perfectly on his feet and Mokona hopped onto his shoulder.

"Kuro-pip-sensei should get ready soon; we're leaving this world today!" it cheered, Fay nodding with it.

Kurogane snarled wordlessly and dragged himself out of bed, _politely _requesting for Fay to get his annoying blonde self out of the room, and take the damn manjuu with him.

When he was alone again, Kurogane sat on the edge of the bed and rested his head in his hands, exhaling lengthily. He had forgotten most of the details of his dream, but he was able to recall enough to realise it was, in fact, a memory. Even though it wasn't a particularly old memory, it felt as if it was worlds away, and, he realised dryly, it was.

He bent over and put a random pair of jeans and an equally random t-shirt on; not bothered by his appearance, and straightened the bed sheets.

He ran a hand through his hair, a headache forming behind his ears.

He had learned to hate the world hopping the most. It made his blood rush with excitement and hope; 'maybe _this _will be the world Fai's in', but always left him with the painful burn of disappointment and desperation.

"_How the hell will I know which world is the right world?" Kurogane demanded gruffly to a smirking Yuuko, who was projected onto the wall._

_Her smirk seemed to widen, "You'll know," was her helpful reply._

He smirked, his determination returning from seemingly nowhere. He stood and strode from the room confidently. He didn't know when, or how, but he knew that someday he'd get Fai back.

No matter what.


	8. Sen no Kotoba

Stolen

**Stolen**

**Chapter Eight – Sen no Kotoba**

…_Ienakkata… sen no kotoba wa_

_Kizutsuita… kimi no senaka ni yorisoi_

_Dakishimeru …_

--

Thankyou for your lovely reviews! Especially Meadhbh21 and the fanfictionalchemist, you both made me giggle, yay!

--

"Fay-san! Can I have some more juice please?"

"Sure!" he cheered, pouring more sake into the poor girl's glass. Both Kuroganes were sat on the couch; one scowling, one moping. I mean scowling. Because proud people do not mope for pansy assed retard almost-fiancés when they probably really only went out, got drunk and got a lift home from a stranger and was now lying in a ditch with unidentified fluids dribbling out of their-

SMASH!

"Ooh, I think Kuro-sensei's upset!" Mokona pointed out loudly, not wasting its time in landing on the gym teacher's head and waving its short arms around.

"Would you just STOP?!" Kurogane exclaimed, on his feet suddenly, having thrown Mokona at the magician.

Fay blinked in mock-confusion. "Stop what, Kurogane-sensei?" he asked innocently.

"You know EXACTLY what I mean, you annoying, self-centred bastard!" Kurogane fumed, stomping over to the door. Fay tried to reach out and stop him, but Kurogane's head snapped round and he hissed at Fay to 'not touch him, EVER' and swiftly left the little house they were staying in.

Fay sighed and his hand dropped to his side. He then spun around with a cheery smile taped across his face.

"Who wants more sake?"

A while later, Kurogane watched as Fay slipped out unnoticed as Syaoran tried to stop Sakura from drinking any more than she already had, and followed him onto the porch.

"You realise he'll just be more pissed if he knows you're following him." Kurogane pointed out, and Fay jumped.

"Kuro-tan! I didn't hear you come out!"

Kurogane said nothing; he just stared unbelievingly at Fay. Fay's smile practically fell off of his face and he turned back to face the night.

"I know what he's looking for. Or whom, I should say." Fay murmured, so quiet that it was barely carried along to Kurogane.

"It's you, isn't it?"

Fay paused, and then nodded.

"In their world… they're… together. As in a 'couple' together." Fay explained slowly. It wasn't as weird as he'd thought; it was easy to talk about their doubles as if they were different people. He supposed it technically was because they were; they had grown up in completely different circumstances. It made sense that there was nothing stopping Fai-sensei and Kurogane-sensei from getting together.

Kurogane sat next to Fay on the step but said nothing, letting Fay continue.

"It's so unfair, Kuro-wanko… that even the me on another world still has the things he loves taken away from him… or rather, that he's taken away from the things he loves… will I ever be allowed happiness?"

Kurogane still said nothing. It was strange, for Fay to be so open. He supposed it was the drink.

"I know… where we'll need to go to retrieve his Fai… but… I can't go back, not yet." he said, barely above a whisper. Kurogane reached forward upon impulse to brush the hair away from the cerulean eyes he knew were contorted with pain and sadness.

"You know that… If the person you're running from has the other you… anything could happen to him." the ninja pointed out gently, quietly, wary of breaking the uncomfortable peace between them.

Fay nodded solemnly, his eyes clear and sure. Kurogane had expected them to be watering, but no tears clouded his vision. He supposed it was because there were no tears left for Fay to cry.

"That's why I've made my decision…" Fay gave a small smile, weak and broken but still true, "I'm going to enjoy tonight as best as I can… so we can go and face Ashura-ou tomorrow."

-

Kurogane watched on as his double and his lover's echo kissed sweetly on the porch before returning inside. His heart twisted in jealous discomfort and he cursed under his breath.

If only he could even remember what that felt like. But over the months, his heart had grown numb to the flutters he knew occurred when you were in love. He could no longer fathom the way that your stomach would drop and your heart would leap into your throat every time you kissed, could no longer recall the way that your bodies would move in complete synchronisation as the world stopped existing around you.

There were vague moments were he thought he was graced with the memory of warm mornings spent lying in blissful silence and cold nights when the only source of warmth was a shared blanket and hot tea cradled to your lips as you shivered together, but they were gone before he could recognise them and his heart was left an empty shell that blundered around, totally ignorant and cold.

He signed and shifted in the tree so that he was leaning against the trunk comfortably. A nice night outside would cool him off.

X o X o X

Fai shivered and focused harder.

What number was he on?

4592?

4695?

Shit.

Now there was no way of telling.

But he didn't want to spend any longer in this cell.

5000 yet?

When did Chii say she'd return again?

A little to the right.

Ah. What's the point? Not like there's anything left at home for him.

Kurogane would have been here by now.

Up a little.

Maybe Ashura had killed him before he'd come for Fai?

No.

That wasn't it. He would know if Kurogane was dead.

Wiggle it around some.

Then where was he? Surely he should have been here by now.

Surely Fai could have been warm and asleep in bed by now.

Surely he… would……

NO! Don't fall asleep! Do you want to die?

This is the only shot you'll get.

Just a little to the left.

_CLICK_

There.

Fai stood and the chains stayed on the floor. He rolled and popped his creaking bones and tried to stretch the sleep out of his aching muscles. He knew he'd have a hard time, but he was glad that he'd listened to Chii.

He probably wouldn't have been able to stand if he hadn't eaten the broth.

The cell lightened momentarily as Chii slipped through the door.

"I couldn't take too much without being noticed." she whispered hurriedly, unrolling a large piece of fabric which she'd hidden some rolls of bread inside. Fay instantly snatched one up and devoured it ravenously before starting on the second, which he ate slower.

Chii stood at the door, pretending to be under Ashura's influence still, should anybody unwanted show up.

"We need to hurry. Ashura-ou will wake in a few hours." Chii warned him, fastening the cloth she'd used to bring the bread around Fai's thinly dressed body. It was thick and woollen, and kept him covered down to at least his knees.

It would have to do.

He followed Chii out of the cell and through stone corridors up into the main castle, where everything was marble and charmed ice, and Fai was suddenly horribly aware of how long it had been since he was allowed the luxury of a nice long bath.

Chii lead him out of the main castle and across a courtyard, snatching up some abandoned boots as they went, for Fai had been barefoot. She grabbed Fai's hand and, with urgency now, pulled him towards the castle gates.

Just when they thought they were in the clear, they heard the most terrifying voice of all.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Ashura was stood just passed the gates, as if expecting them, a cruel bloodthirsty grin tainting his features.

X o X o X

"Mokona, I'd like to speak with Yuuko, please."

"Fay, what a pleasure." the Dimension Witch cooed, her red eyes forever amused.

"The pleasure is all mine, my lady," he replied smoothly, his childhood in the court coming into use, "but I'm afraid this call is purely for business."

Yuuko nodded once, lengthily. Fay should have known that she would know.

"I wish to retract my original wish." he stated boldly, his voice not betraying his utter terror at the idea of returning to the snowy barren wasteland.

"I'm afraid I don't give refunds, Fay. You know that."

Fay nodded. "In that case, I wish that the next world we arrive at will be Celes, near the palace of Ruval."

"There is a price," Yuuko informed, surprised and somewhat proud of the blonde's bravery. Fay just inclined his head again; there was always a price, "Your price is that when Mokona's spell circle appears, you will use your own magic along with Mokona's to travel to Celes."

Fay hesitated, but caught sight of the other Kurogane's expression and knew he couldn't back down.

He agreed.

Mokona sprouted its wings and Fay hastily instructed them all to gather together, frantically writing glowing symbols in the air with his left hand.

In a flash of purple and gold, they were off.

Yuuko sighed.

One Fai would not be making it out of Celes alive.


	9. Zetsubou Billy

Stolen

**Stolen**

**Chapter Nine – Zetsubou Billy**

…_Ai chie kurabe kinpaku_

_Ego no kussetsu sadist_

_Danpen janen no tettsui_

_Ubareuku seimei …_

--

_One Fai would not be making it out of Celes alive._

--

Fai ran as fast as his tired, unused legs would carry him, clutching his bleeding shoulder as he scrambled desperately up a snow drift. Chii said that the mountains were the only shelter from the blizzards that continuously raged across Celes.

He was tiring quickly, and wasn't sure he could continue much further. The sudden strain on his malnourished body was too much, and he felt like he was either going to throw up or just collapse. He shivered and longed to sleep, but knew that if he stopped for even a second then he might not gather the strength to continue.

He was vaguely aware of Chii beside him, never tiring, practically gliding across the barren landscape, and he knew that without her, he would probably be dead by now.

He staggered suddenly and his knees buckled beneath him, sending him sprawling into the deep snow. Chii pulled urgently at his good arm and was saying something, but he couldn't make any sense of the words as the biting wind muted any human sound. Fai managed to lift his head enough to cough out the snow he had nearly swallowed, but it felt as if that very snow took what precious energy he had left.

Another sharp tug from Chii reminded him that he wasn't the only life at stake if Ashura changed his mind and he struggled back to his feet, leaning heavily on the small girl beside him, relying completely on her sense of direction and warmth to keep him moving, the blood loss and hunger making his vision swim.

Over it all, he thought he could hear voices shouting to him over the hazardous winds…

X o X o X

As soon as they touched down in Celes, a white-hot shock jolted up Kurogane's spine, and he was finally certain.

Fai was here.

The question was: where?

He looked over to Fay to ask him, but the look on the blonde's face made him stop. He clearly didn't want to be here. Kurogane would at least behave gratefully.

Suddenly, Fay's face brightened and he turned to the kids.

"Syaoran-kun! You, Moko-chan and Sakura-chan go find somewhere to shelter, the big puppies and I will search for the feather!" he reeled off quickly.

Both Kuroganes shared a look. He was hiding something.

Syaoran looked to his mentor, only leaving with the princess and rabbit when he was given a nod of approval.

Fay turned to face the slopes, the winds whipping his hair around his face. Kurogane shivered suddenly and pulled his thick coat tighter around him; it was a LOT colder than he was used to, but Fay looked as if the blizzard and thick snow drifts weren't even there.

He wondered briefly if his Fai's home was like this, but then hurried after the other two up the slope.

"Try and keep low," he heard Fay ahead of him, shouting to be heard above the winds, "We're not far from Ruval Palace, but its mostly uphill, it'll take a while."

He crouched lower and pulled his coat even tighter around himself, the feeling in his nose and ears completely gone.

They walked for what seemed like hours before Fay let them rest a little, but they soon resumed their trek. He knew it was better that way, but it was taking a tremendous amount of stamina for him to keep up, and he found himself admiring the other two even more.

"Fay!"

They all looked up simultaneously at the sound of the high-pitched voice. Fay laughed and ran forward to catch the girl who had _flown _towards them. Kurogane tried not to stare at her; she had cat-like ears and was wearing nothing but a small dress and he doubted her long, platinum blonde hair did anything for the cold.

He couldn't keep studying the girl for much longer. For some reason, he felt the desperate need in the back of his mind that he needed to reach the top of the slope they were on. He pushed on, stumbling in places from fatigue, determined to reach the top and satisfy what must be curiosity. The icy gales bit at his face and he tried not to lick his lips too much. He slid down where the snow underfoot was not powdery and soft but hard and slippery and had to push himself harder to reach his goal.

When the ground finally levelled out, he saw that it dipped again on the other side, and far off in the distance was an icy palace suspended in the sky; no doubt "Ruval".

If he had carried on at that point, he wouldn't have noticed the small, hunched over figure in the snow and the drips of deep crimson and dirt that stained his clothes. I say 'if', because Kurogane did look. And Kurogane knew.

Kurogane yelled for him and set off faster down the slope, not even hearing the concerned yelps of those behind him who could not see what he could, and he ran as if all of his energy in that single moment had replenished itself with renewed determination and passion.

X o X o X

Fai whimpered as his knees buckled again and he found himself thigh-deep in the snow, suddenly without Chii there to support him. He could have sworn he heard Kurogane's voice calling to him, but he could no longer muster the strength to look up. He shivered and a single sob jarred through his body.

He was beaten, bruised and broken, a mere shell of a once smart, happy, _brilliant_ man. His shoulder ached and stung painfully and his bones and muscles refused to register him any more.

He had heard once, that before you freeze to death, wonderful warmth blossoms throughout your iced body. He shuddered and hunched lower and smiled wryly, deciding that enduring the cold for that long would be worth it for that final feeling of home, maybe of love if he was lucky enough.

Kurogane's voice, now closer, didn't even process in his mind as he slumped into the strong, warm arms of his lover and he moved closer to the heat instinctively, glad that the end was seemingly so near.

Kurogane wouldn't give up as he did though. Mindful of the injured shoulder, he clutched Fai to him as if the man would disappear again if he let go. Before he could get them back up the slope, the other Fay was with them and wrapping his overcoat around the shivering, starved blonde, saying that he was more used to the cold and could do fine without the extra layer.

Fay said they should go back to the village immediately and they agreed, neither saying anything about the castle, which seemed to be closer to them than the village was. The trek back was a blurred mixture of happiness and fear for Kurogane, who kept checking Fai's features for any change. Unbeknownst to him, the other Fay was doing the same, but without the fear and apprehension, but with pity. Fay suddenly reached for his Kurogane; who said nothing but held the blonde's hand tightly in his.

They both knew what was most likely to happen to the person that Kurogane-sensei had battled desperately to save, but neither wanted to be the one to tell him, choosing instead to seek silent comfort from the other.

"K-kuro...-chan…" Fai murmured; his voice a whisper against the winds.

"Yeah?"

"You remember… that thing you asked me? On the train."

Kurogane felt his face heat up and his heartbeat quicken. He swallowed before making a noise in affirmative.

Fai smiled weakly, his eyes open a sliver. Kurogane saw how dark and empty they looked.

How ruined Fai was.

"Ask me again soon, okay?" his voice was so quiet, so weak. Kurogane smiled painfully and nodded before pressing a small kiss to the pale chapped lips of his lover.

The next thing Fai remembered was incoherent conversation floating around him, and something stinging in his injured shoulder. He tried to shy away from whatever it was, but either his body wasn't listening to him or he was wrapped tightly in something. The idea of this after the past few months in a cell made him struggle and writhe hysterically, desperately. He had just gotten his freedom; he didn't want to be trapped again!

He only calmed down when the stinging went away and the constricting forces against him were lessened, and after that he slipped back into the blackness.

When he came back around, he was surrounded by comforting warmth and the soft tinkering of water, with large strong hands massaging is scalp and playing with his hair. He hummed wearily and forced his eyelids apart. The familiar figure of Kurogane came into focus and his heart leapt- it wasn't a dream after all! He would have laughed, but his throat felt too dry to produce much of a sound. Kurogane's sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and the top few buttons of the once white shirt were undone, and he was rubbing what Fai guessed was shampoo through his messy blonde hair.

"Kuro-sensei takes such good care of me." Fai murmured, his voice cracking slightly. Kurogane forced his elated grin down and reached for the glass of water that he had brought in with him to pass to his lover, who accepted it gratefully.

"How are you feeling?" Kurogane asked quietly, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquillity of the moment.

"My shoulder aches a bit," Fai replied softly, "but I guess you can tell that," he said, tittering, glancing over his bandaged shoulder.

"I thought you'd like the bath," Kurogane explained, placing the empty glass back on the floor, "is there anything you want me to get for you?"

Fai laughed a sound still so melodious even after the time had passed, "If only Kuro-chan would behave like this at home!"

Kurogane grumbled to himself.

"There is one thing I want, though." Fai finally answered; a twinkle in his eye.

Kurogane raised an eyebrow in questioning, using the glass to wash the suds from Fai's hair.

"Kiss me, Kuro-pon. I want you to kiss me." Fai commanded, and Kurogane happily obliged, bringing his lips down upon Fai's.

Fai instantly sighed into the kiss and wrapped his good arm around Kurogane's shoulders, his eyes slipping shut and his mouth nudging eagerly against Kurogane's. The larger man eased their lips apart and dipped his tongue into the hot crevice of Fai's mouth, growling possessively and excitedly, massaging the back of the blonde's neck as emotion exploded within him.

"I missed you." Fai moaned blissfully when they parted, their foreheads still pressed together, breathing labouredly. He suddenly grinned.

"I'm starting to prune, Kuro-pii."

Kurogane rolled his red eyes and lifted Fai from the hot water, ignoring the blonde's protests of "I'll get you wet, Kuro-silly!" and threw a towel over him.

Fai smiled and rested his head on Kurogane's shoulder. Maybe if he waited long enough, Kurogane would …. Dry him… too…

His eyes slid back and he slipped away from consciousness.

-

Fay looked over at the pair solemnly as Kurogane gently lowered his blonde onto the bed. Fay stepped inside and cleared his throat to gain the teacher's attention.

"He woke up a little earlier, but just passed out again."

Fay nodded, "Considering the spell Ashura-ou used, it doesn't surprise me."

Kurogane looked up.

"Spell?"

"I won't lie to you," Fay sighed, "Ashura-ou didn't use an ordinary attack spell to injure his shoulder. If he was attacking to kill, Fai-san would be dead," Fay moved to the bead opposite and sat down wearily, pausing to gather his words. "Seeing as Fai-san is here right now… I'm certain there was probably something else in it too, like a slow-working…"

"A slow working what?" Kurogane asked impatiently, angry that they weren't out of the woods yet.

Fay looked up, his eyes serious and clear, to mutter the one word that would shatter Kurogane's heart yet again.

"Poison."


	10. Beg

(And it only took me 43 days...)

**Stolen**

**Chapter Ten – Beg**

'_Cuz you made me so complete, dear_

_But you left me so alone, here_

_And you left me so in love, here_

_You left with so much hate, dear_

_Was I creating only chaos? This world lives just fine without us…_

**(Quick A/N: this song inspired the whole fanfic; so if you haven't heard it, I recommend you get down to youtube and watch it. It's by Evans Blue. It makes me cry 7 times out of 10.)**

--

"_Seeing as Fai-san is here right now… I'm certain there was probably something else in it too, like a slow-working…"_

"_A slow working what?" Kurogane asked impatiently, angry that they weren't out of the woods yet._

_Fay looked up, his eyes serious and clear, to mutter the one word that would shatter Kurogane's heart yet again._

"_Poison."_

_--_

Kurogane placed his hand on the wall to help steady himself. _Poison?! _His fist curled and he fought against the frustration and anger rising in his chest.

It wasn't fair.

Fay sat on the bed next to his double, stroking his still-damp hair carefully. He hadn't even been introduced to the other blonde yet and he already felt such a connection, such an unwillingness to let him die.

"There has to be something." Kurogane said, his words confident but his voice giving away the slightest of quivers.

"I don't know," Fay replied quietly, honestly, fingers still toying with the other's pale strands of hair, "the only one who would know something like that would be Yuuko-san."

Kurogane spun around to leave, but Fay easily grabbed his wrist and pulled him back.

"I'll go. There's no way of telling how much time he has left," he reasoned bluntly, trying to not crumble at the emotions running through the PE teacher's red eyes, "You should spend it by his side."

-

"My, my. I didn't expect to be hearing from you again so soon!"

"Fai-sensei's poisoned, Yuuko-san… I don't know if there's an antidote, and-"

"You wish to know if such an antidote exists." Yuuko cut him off, before taking a long drag of her cigarette, "But you know that information requires a price. That vase." she instructed, pointing at something over Fay's shoulder.

"That seems awfully cheap." Fay commented, passing the vase along without hesitation. If the people living here hadn't even packed up before leaving, they obviously had no need for a vase of enchanted ice. Especially seeing as they were so common.

"Of course. I said that there would be a price for the _information, _not for the actual antidote."

"So there is one?"

Yuuko paused, running her delicate fingers along the curve of the green ice as she chose her words carefully. She was already treading the line of interference.

"Time is a strange thing, Fay. It's not linear, as some people expect, but rather… it's in a circle. But time is also very fragile," the ice vase chipped as her nail clipped it at the perfect angle, "there are fixed events, and there are events that vary as time passes, like stories that are passed on by word of mouth. The fixed things… are the things that don't change. Ever. No matter how many wishes are granted, no matter how much blood is spilt," Her eyes fixed on Fay again, "for example. A fixed event would be… that one 'Fai' will not be leaving Celes with his life."

Fay's eyes widened in fear.

"You said there was an antidote!"

Yuuko nodded once.

"There is. Unfortunately the price for such a thing would be too high, and time itself would collapse. Fixed events cannot be changed, Fay, no matter how hard you wish."

Fay nodded.

"And if I hand over my own life as payment?"

"I'd chase you into the bowels of Hell and drag you back here myself."

Fay whipped around. Kurogane stood staring down at him, his face red from either anger or cold. A bag of firewood was slung over his shoulder, and remnants of snow were clinging to his boots and cloak.

"Witch, don't feed him ideas. He's stupid enough to follow through with them."

"Stupid?! I'm _trying_ to save Fai-sensei's life!"

Kurogane's eyes narrowed. He was absolutely livid.

"Handing over your own goddamn life to save someone else's isn't saving them; it's _cursing_ them."

Fay turned back around, brow furrowed in thought.

"If… I stay in Celes when everybody moves on… would that work? Could we save Fai-sensei if I did that?"

"Yes. But I would still require a price."

Fay didn't hesitate, "Such as?"

Yuuko stared straight into his eyes. "The crown of Ruval."

Instantly, Fay froze in place, his skin turning a sickening white and his trembling fingers winding themselves into the blanket he was situated beneath.

"How long would we have?" Kurogane asked, making Fay stare at him with noting but fear in his blue irises.

Yuuko looked out of the window next to her. It was night-time, and if they strained, they could hear the faint song of the cicadas. To Fay, it sounded like they were counting down to the end of the world.

"One sunrise and one sunset. Twenty-three hours."

He looked down at Fay, who had drawn the blanket up to his chest and held his head low, as if the weight of the world had just been dropped onto his neck.

"How long will it take us to get to the castle?"

There was a pause, before the blonde magician mumbled "Six hours each way, if we're lucky. Nine if we're not."

Kurogane nodded. "Five hours to steal a crown. Easy."

Fay laughed bitterly. "What king do you know would give up his crown before his life? I have to kill him."

"_WE _have to kill him."

"No offence, Kuro-katana, but you can't fight magic with a sword. Besides, it was my responsibility, and I failed. I have to right my mistake."

"Your 'responsibility'?" Kurogane raised a sceptical eyebrow. Fay said nothing, so Kurogane continued, "And what if you can't kill your precious king? Will you just steal his crown and keep running?"

"And what if you-"

"Time spent sat around arguing is time wasted," Yuuko interrupted, lighting another cigarette, "I suggest the both of you carry out your task."

-

Fay stood just outside the door, hidden by the shadows. He could only hear parts of the conversation happening within the room, but he wasn't there to eavesdrop.

"I don't know if I'm strong enough, Kuro-sama…" Fay murmured, just loud enough for the ninja whom he knew was just behind him to hear.

"You're willing to give up your wish so that he can live?" Kurogane asked just as quietly.

Fay watched the other Kurogane kiss the other Fai's brow and he hummed in affirmative.

"Then you're already stronger than when we met."

Fay smiled wryly. For once, he wasn't talking about emotional strength. He turned to Kurogane, who was facing away from him, leaning against the wall. He slipped his arms around Kurogane's waist and rested his forehead against the ninja's shoulder blade.

Kurogane didn't return the hug, but didn't pull away from it either.

He was annoyed. Annoyed that the blonde was still so willing to lay down his life. Annoyed that he had promised Yuuko he'd stay behind. What did he expect them to do?

Sure, there'd still be a Fai, a mother figure, with them. But what would they do after they get to wherever the other two came from? They couldn't expect them to stay travelling with them, and Kurogane was no good at taking care of kids.

Well, there was taking care and then there was taking care. Kurogane could barely do either.

Stupid mage. Stupid witch. Stupid price.

"We should get going, Kuro-chan…"

Stupid country.

-

The blizzard was at its worst. It seemed like the very winds were against them, Fay thought, as he held his hood below his eyes. He glanced back at Kurogane, who had his eyes jammed completely shut and his hand hovering over Souhi's hilt.

_Silly Kuro-chan… there are no people left on this world left to sense._

Fay faced their destination again. They were making good time, despite the icy ache that the cold had drilled into their muscles. They would make it to Ruval in three hours, judging from their current progress.

He just hoped that he would be able to fulfil his promise.

X o X o X

Fai laughed and patted Mokona's head. It really was a curious thing, but he'd be lying if he said it wasn't completely adorable. It also seemed to be very good at annoying Kurogane, almost as good as he was, which of course formed an instant bond between them.

Kurogane grumbled and folded his arms, trying to ignore the jibes and teases from the white thing, inwardly happy that whatever Fai's experience had been; it hadn't damaged him. And if it had, he was still himself enough to be able to hide it.

"You should rest," Kurogane reminded, trying to swat the thing away. Fai giggled and snuggled Mokona more.

"Silly Kuro-tan; my shoulder will heal whether I'm resting or not!"

_Your shoulder will heal… but you won't be able to fight the poison if you don't have the strength._

"It won't if you keep moving!" Kurogane growled, snatching Mokona away and throwing it through the open door. They could hear laughter, but it didn't come back in. "Just get to sleep."

"You know," Fai said after a pause, "I always sleep better with Kuro-rin as a mattress…"

X o X o X

Fai pushed the large ivory doors open and swept through them, his coat billowing behind him.

Upon entering the castle, Fai had not let them linger long. Sprinting through endless rooms and hallways, Kurogane marvelled at the infinite corpses decorating the floors and walls with their frozen blood.

The corpses were also frozen too, and untouched by rot.

Kurogane wondered how long they had been there.

His attention returned to Fai, who spared less than a glance at the men and women who were once undoubtedly his colleagues, maybe friends, as they shot past. The ninja supposed it was better for Fai to ignore them and run, like he always had. Coming here was hard enough for Fai, physically and emotionally. He didn't need the added weight of all the dead on his shoulders.

Fai slowed and paused at the end of the last hallway, a dead end if not for the gigantic, elaborately carved doors.

Fai's hand quivered as he reached for the handle and he hesitated, clenching his fist, fighting down the dizzying fear that crept into his lungs and strangled his heart. He steeled himself and, with a last glance at the ninja for reassurance, pushed open the heavy doors.

Even though he had expected it, his heart stopped at the sight of Ashura-ou. Even if Fai had not known that Ashura would know of their presence as soon as they reached Celes, he would have figured it out from the apparent serenity of the situation. His king was stood in the middle of the room, just in front of… _that _pool, his face twisted into a soft smile that could no longer warm Fai's icy heart, his hands clasped in front of him calmly.

"Welcome back. Fai."

Fai hung his head and he murmured "I thought I'd be able to not return, if possible," he looked up slowly, "Ashura-ou."

Ashura's expression didn't change, it never did.

"Even though you promised me you'd grant my wish," he held his hand out and magic sparked in the air, "I've been waiting for you. This child has also been waiting."

Ashura flung his cloak out of the way and stood there was another man. His blonde hair was unruly and his blue eyes were dull and lifeless.

His face, however, was unmistakable, and Kurogane did a double take. He looked exactly like Fai.

Fai's entire body tensed and a gasp escaped his lips. Kurogane knew that, if the mage's hood were down, he would be able to see the skin drain of all colour and his eyes widen in shock and for a second he wished he could, if only to see a _true _Fai for once.

He remembered the situation and refocused himself on the obvious enemy, glad that they hadn't taken the time to attack during both his and Fai's lapses of concentration.

The second Fai double raised his hand, pale as death, and held his arm high, pointing loosely at Fai.

"You killed me… Yuui…" the _thing_, for it could no longer be human or alive, rasped and Kurogane felt Fai's aura spike and he could practically _hear _the mage's erratic, pounding heartbeat.

"_You_ … _killed… me…"_

The words reverberated around Kurogane's skull and he could hear screaming… it was distant and it was vague but it was _horrifying _and suddenly Kurogane _knew._

He knew about the tower, about the pit and AAH his head was _exploding _with the madness and the blood and the screaming and he would have screamed himself had the terror not been so _crippling _and oh god he _knew everything _and—

It stopped… his head was quiet. He opened his eyes – he didn't remember closing them – to see the twins together again, Fai – no, Yuui – embracing the dead one. Ashura's puppet.

Ashura laughed suddenly and Fai – the original Fai – sprang away, drawing a halberd-like weapon out of thin air with a surge of magic and holding it poised before him, the tip of the blade a hair's breadth away from Yuui's throat, the enchanted ice of the weapon glinting in the bright light reflected in by the snow outside. Yuui stared calmly at his lifeless brother, his brows furrowed slightly.

Fai jabbed the halberd forward harshly, but Yuui luckily ducked away and parried with a harmless staff he had also drawn out of hammer-space.

Kurogane growled to himself. Even though Yuui knew his twin was dead and had been for many years, the idiot blonde could still not raise a blade to him, even in self-defence. Then again, Yuui had never really been a self-preserving kind of guy.

Kurogane cursed and was about to step in when he found he couldn't step anywhere at all; his feet were magically rooted to the spot. He considered tossing Souhi over to the blonde, but quickly decided against it because the deadlier twin would easily be able to intercept the blade and use it to his advantage, and it would leave Kurogane completely unarmed.

Fai easily knocked the staff from Yuui's hands, the force of the blow sending the blonde to his knees. He felt the cold blade press at his neck again.

He looked up slowly, into the dead eyes of his dead brother, praying that death come swiftly to him too.


	11. Quote

Stolen

**Stolen**

**Chapter Eleven – Quote**

_Quote, you are my soul, unquote._

_- - - - -_

_Fay easily knocked the staff from Yuui's hands, the force of the blow sending the blonde to his knees. He felt the cold blade press at his neck again._

_He looked up slowly, into the dead eyes of his dead brother, praying that death come swiftly to him too._

_- - - - -_

Fay paused, completely still. Yuui's heart gave a spark of hope. He knew that Ashura, though bloodthirsty, didn't prey on the emotional pain of others. So why was Fay hesitating?

Perhaps Fay, _his _Fay, was still in there?

What if… he could still be saved?

"Fay…" he murmured, proud that he was able to keep his voice steady, watching blue eyes identical to his for any signs of recognition. A flicker.

He licked his lips, "You don't want to do this, Fay…"

Another flicker; the blade lowered a fraction.

Yuui continued, egged on by the positive response, "You know who I am, don't you? You're still in there… aren't you?"

Fay suddenly thrust the blade forward and Yuui reflexively rolled backwards, kicking the Halberd from his twin's hands as he went. The ice instantly shattered into a thousand shimmering pieces, the magic holding it together no longer being supplied. Fay didn't even blink and drew another one from thin air, charging again for Yuui, who after another acrobatic scuffle managed to disarm Fay again.

"Mage!" Kurogane barked from across the room, "You can't keep this up forever, you have to-"

"He's right, my pet," Ashura purred, sat upon his throne, amusement twinkling in his eyes, "How long can you keep this up?"

Yuui didn't make any signal to say he had heard either of them, still dodging every swipe of his brother's blade, a light sheen of sweat gathering on his forehead.

Kurogane couldn't take his frustration anymore and unleashed a fierce attack at the heartless twin, which both blondes easily dodged. The ninja knew that Yuui would have given him the dirtiest, unbelieving look had he been able to take his eyes from his opponent.

"You can't win like this, idiot!" Kurogane yelled, feeling suddenly like he was training the kid again and not telling a grown man something he already knew, "There's only one way we can move on to kill that bastard," he nodded at Ashura, confident that the blonde would notice the jerk of his head even though he wasn't looking in his direction, "You know that. You have to cut down your oppo--" he quickly ducked a sharpened spear of ice.

'_Stop now,'_ said a smooth voice that Kurogane was sure only he could hear, '_This is one lesson that Yuui will have to learn on his own.'_

Kurogane looked up at the powerful king, met with an expression as solemn as his own.

X o X o X

"Kuro-chaaaaaan! I'm not going to break by just going to get a drink!"

"I didn't say that, I just said you should _rest_!" Kurogane argued, trying to hold Fai back without aggravating his shoulder.

Fai pouted, "I've been _resting_ for _hours!_"

"Exactly! A couple more won't hurt you!"

Fai huffed and flopped back onto the mattress with Kurogane, leaving them with a pregnant silence.

"Why are you acting like this?" Fai suddenly blurted, "I cut my shoulder; I didn't have a stroke!"

Kurogane stayed silent, half trying to come up with an answer that would satisfy the blonde, half wanting to tell him the truth. He looked up after a while and Fai was still staring at him expectantly. He pulled the blonde closer to him, despite the awkward position his other arm was now in, and was gentle and affectionate in brushing Fai's fringe from his forehead, an unreadable look in his eyes.

Fai's lips parted, as if he was about to say something, but Kurogane interrupted him with a soft, slow, sensual kiss, his rough fingertips playing with the strands of hair that had been cut to their usual length.

"I love you," Kurogane breathed when they parted, foreheads pressed together. He could feel Fai's brows furrow; it was unusual for the stoic man to say it so much. Kurogane continued before the blonde could question him, "I don't think I could lose you again."

Fai smiled and pecked his nose, replying with "I love you too, Kuro-sweet."

Kurogane ducked his head on the pretence of kissing Fai's neck. He didn't think he could handle the blonde seeing his expression.

The silence was now comfortable and ever so slightly intimate. Kurogane could hear the reassuring beat of Fai's heart, only a little slower than usual - though that could be attributed to the lack of movement - against his ear, and he could feel it when his cheek rested lightly on the pulse point.

He remembered what the other Fay said… about how in the first fifteen hours there would be no signs whatsoever of the poison, and so he should make Fai sleep as much as possible to gather strength… for the next three hours would be the hardest of his life. His heart would slow down and his windpipes would tighten slightly. He would sweat and throw up and his head would hurt from dehydration, and thus he would be irritable and emotionally unstable. The last four hours after that, Fai would slip in and out of consciousness.

If he reached this stage, it was unlikely that any cure would save him.

X o X o X

Yuui cursed as the wind was knocked out of him and he was suddenly bent double, but he quickly managed to unbalance Fay and get far enough away to be able to take a breath. He could feel himself tiring, which in turn made him wonder how much time they had left. Unfortunately, it had taken about ten hours for them to get to Ruval, and then there was the time that it took for him to make the magical barriers let them through and _then_ the actual transportation of himself and the ninja into the castle. It all added up, and Yuui really had no more time to waste on this fight. He needed to push on.

But Kurogane was still immobile, and he himself was covered in cuts and bruises, which were not only causing him to loose more blood than he was comfortable with but also he was starting to slow down with exhaustion. Pushing on wasn't really an option at this stage, but he really had no choice, and it was obvious Fay wasn't going to let him get to Ashura.

That left one option. And Yuui didn't like it at all.

As soon as he had that thought, the world shot past him and suddenly stopped as hard pain exploded in his back and he crumpled to the floor. His head was swimming and he could barely see straight when he struggled to his feet again, in time to roll away from the sharp blade of the halberd that had followed him. Bracing himself on the wall behind him, Yuui's sight came back to see…

…Nothing.

But where was-… In the air!

His arms flew up to shield his face instinctively and his legs were taken from beneath him. He used the momentum from his fall to send his twin onto his knees too and the scuffle moved to the floor, hands and knees substituting for real weapons as they rolled around, constantly gaining and subsequently losing control of the fight. It was only when Yuui managed to strike Fay in the stomach and pin his wrists at the same time that he gained the upper hand.

They were like that for some seconds, neither struggling, harsh panting filling the room. Yuui's heart suddenly filled with fear and nausea as he felt three pairs of eyes on him, all expecting him to do the same thing.

He swallowed loudly and drew a thin sword from the air, his mind not filled with images of him and his brother, of the other Fai, but filled with the disbelief of what he was about to do.

He settled the sharp edge of the blade against the identical neck and gave a single, meaningful, _apologetic_ look into his twin's eyes, before clamping his own shut and drawing his arm back, quick and strong.

He stared, almost emotionlessly, as blood poured from Fay's slender, pale neck, as his life ended. He watched as the two lifeless blue eyes died again and rolled back. He saw the edges of Fay's mouth curl into a smile.

He made his twin die.

X o X o X

"I'm dying, aren't I?" Fai rasped weakly.

Kurogane froze.

Hours had passed, and Fai was constantly passing between throwing up, sweating and shaking and then lying almost comatose, with his eyes clamped tightly shut and his breathing loud and shallow.

Kurogane felt stupidly helpless, all he could do was mop the blonde's forehead, rub his back and make sure he didn't choke on his own vomit, even though Fai had brought up so much that there was really nothing left in his stomach. He still hadn't told Fai the truth; he thought the man wouldn't really wonder why this was happening, but just wish that it would stop.

He felt a clammy, cold hand lay atop his. Kurogane thought it was strange that Fai was the one in so much pain, yet he was the one that needed the comfort.

"It's okay; I figured as much. Explains why you were acting so weird earlier…" Fai murmured, his clouded blue eyes seeing nothing.

Kurogane tried to swallow. He wanted to say something, anything! He tried to swallow around the thick lump in his throat but he couldn't and he just couldn't get the words out and damn it just wasn't _fair!_

"The others are looking for a cure…" he managed to grind out, his voice wavering so much that he didn't care anymore, "I don't know when they'll be—"… he froze in horror, staring at the clock, then snapped his head back towards Fai.

He hadn't moved.

It had been just a little more than eighteen hours.

Kurogane's heart beat painfully harder, as he realised that Fai might never wake up again.

X o X o X

Tears slid down Yuui's blood, dirt and sweat stained cheeks as his fingers released their grip on his dead twin's wrists.

He wanted to curl in on himself and die; wanted to sob and scream and shudder until he had no strength left to mourn.

That was twice. Twice he had killed his own brother, his own _flesh_, just for his own selfish goals.

He thought suddenly of the other Fai. The happy Fai. He took in a shuddering breath and his eyes hardened as he stood, flicking the thick, warm blood from his sword. He stared Ashura down, not going in for the kill but waiting confidently.

There was nothing left that Ashura could harm him with.

The ice king stood from his throne and swept down the steps, his cloak billowing elegantly behind him. Yuui watched his every move cautiously; analysing and calculating his king's actions.

Finally, Ashura stood before him, not three feet away. Yuui held the sword defensively, his muscles tensed and ready for him to leap into, or away from, action.

'_What have you learned on your journeys, my Yuui?' _Ashura asked into Yuui's mind, his voice warm and gentle. The question stumped him, but he was wary enough to not give Ashura any openings. He had come this far; he wasn't going to lose now through an amateur mistake.

'…_Nobody can resurrect life. Not even gods.' _Yuui thought after a while, _'We should hold onto life for as long as we can; it is the only chance we get.'_

Ashura suddenly descended to a knee, his cloaks rustling being the only noise in minutes, leaving the other two bewildered.

The king smiled up at his pupil, his friend, his son, with kind, tired eyes. "Then I have nothing left to teach you." He bared his neck and nodded once at Yuui.

Yuui smiled in thanks and finally fulfilled his king's wish.

The blade glistened silver and crimson as Yuui drew it across Ashura's windpipe in one swift motion and thick blood spurted out, staining both Ashura's and Yuui's previously white clothing and dripping down onto the icy floor.

Ashura fell forward and Yuui sprang to the side, feeling so sick and nauseated with what he had done. The sword fell from his hand and shattered like glass, a thousand and one pieces of sharp ice glaring at him. He felt himself start to shake, drew his quivering arms around himself and gasped a breath, his lungs closing in on him. He struggled to breathe for a few seconds and his vision was white again and he felt it, felt the bile rising in his throat and he was really going to be sick and he felt himself sway on the spot and then…

He was pulled against something else, something warm and familiar. A single sob escaped his lips and soon he was crying into the ninja's cape, completely broken and lost.

X o X o X

Using all the magic he had left, Yuui transported them as far as he could without passing out, but they were still a few miles from the house where the others were.

They just hoped they weren't too late.

Yuui clutched Ashura's crown to him, not caring that the sharp points where digging into his skin uncomfortably, his other hand clasped tightly in Kurogane's, almost as a lifeline, for he was sure that without the ninja there he would not only get overpowered by the snowstorm, but that he would lose whatever shred of sanity he had left.

They crashed into the eerily silent house and as soon as Kurogane let go of him he stumbled and sank to the floor, weak and vulnerable.

Sakura and Syaoran said nothing as Kurogane took Yuui to get cleaned up, instead finishing the deal with Yuuko and getting a tiny phial of antidote in return for the bloodstained crown.

As the bright pink liquid was forced between Fai's chapped, dry lips, everybody but the PE teacher was wondering how someone who looked so dead could still have a beating heart. They watched and waited with baited, silent breath, none of them moving or blinking for fear that if they took their eyes off the blonde for a second than his soul would pass on unnoticed to the other side.

They waited, and waited, and waited.

Eventually, Sakura excused herself to make dinner. Then, one by one, they all left the room, too tired and devastated to say anything to the other Kurogane, who was still holding a cold, dead hand and staring determinedly at his dying love, waiting, _wishing _for him to just open his eyes and smile that infuriating smile.

Fai's eyes did not open. His heart stopped beating.

They were too late.


	12. The Sun

Stolen

**Stolen**

**Chapter 12- The Sun**

_The battle's almost won; we're only several miles from the Sun._

Dinner was eater in silence. The chicken was burnt and the potatoes were dry, but nobody felt the need to speak. Sakura knew she had filled two plates too many, but she still hoped that some miracle would mean both servings would be consumed. Across the table, Yuui poked the potatoes around on his plate, still feeling too nauseous to actually put them into his hungry mouth. Nobody would coax him into eating; none of them felt the real need to.

They were mourning someone they hadn't known for two days, and they were also mourning the man who had spent weeks, months searching endlessly for him, and the two adults present mourned the twin waiting in another world.

Words weren't necessary.

He excused himself from the table and took one of the untouched plates to the other Kurogane, who had still not moved from his spot. Yuui nudged and prodded the taller man until the dinner was begrudgingly accepted and eaten.

Yuui sat on the edge of the bed, not wanting to go back into the other room just yet for some reason. It felt like… like something inside was making him stay in the room with them… with Fai.

He turned his head to look at the blonde scientist. Like twins, they both looked exactly the same, though Yuui could tell that he himself was much older. He reached forward absently to brush Fai's fringe from his forehead, the palm of his hand resting there. The skin was still a little warm.

A sharp zap made him jerk his hand away and hiss and then left him to stare bewilderedly between his palm and the blonde.

"Just static." he mumbled in reply when Kurogane asked what the sound was for. When Kurogane had finished his dinner and Yuui no longer had a reason to stay in the room, he stood and swayed slightly – probably just exhaustion – and took the plate to be washed up.

X o X o X

Yuui sat in the dark on a windowsill, nibbling his thumb pensively and staring blankly out across Celes. The so-called infinite blizzard had become finite and finally passed, and for the first time in his life, Yuui could see the landscape in all its glory. He wasn't looking at it though. He was wracking his overtired brain for answers.

He knew what the static had really been, but it was very peculiar and not to mention extremely unlikely for magic to behave in such a way, even magic as strong as his was. Even if it was what he suspected, there was no reason for it to be behaving in such a way, other than the sudden overuse of it after what he guessed had been years without it.

The door creaked open and then closed behind him, and the heavy footsteps his roommate created were quiet and cushioned against the loud humming of his thoughts.

"You should sleep."

Yuui rubbed his head and answered truthfully, no longer in seeing the point in lying to the ninja.

"Too much… _stuff_ going on," he mumbled, his aching eyelids descending over his tired, unfocused eyes, "couldn't sleep if I tried."

"_Have_ you tried?"

When Yuui didn't answer, Kurogane tried to shift him in a bedwards direction and wasn't too surprised that the mage only put up one minute and eight seconds' resistance.

"Your wounds are gone." he remarked, grabbing Yuui's chin and lifting it gently to inspect the pale neck, where two thin red lines had been earlier. A look down at the blonde's arms said the same story; all the cuts had healed. Even the one he'd gained while washing the dishes after dinner.

He ran a tanned hand over Yuui's palms. Not a trace of injury.

"Mmm…" Yuui hummed, not really fully awake anymore, "S'my magic, it heals…"

Both blue eyes snapped open and the two men stared at each other in sudden realisation.

-

"So, what are you doing?" one of the Kuroganes asked warily.

Yuui rubbed his hands together, brows knitted, "I'm gonna fill Fai with my magic; it should work like a defibrillator…" he elaborated a little at the blank stares he got in return, "Magic heals the vessel it resides in, and because Fai and I share a soul, the magic won't realise he's a different person and it should restart his heart enough for it to keep itself going and then the antidote can actually travel through the bloodstream and heal him. Like jump-starting a Dragonfly."

"Right…" they both replied unsurely.

Yuui sighed, "I'm gonna zap his heart so that it'll work again," he summarised, sitting over a still very comatose Fai and settling his palms over the other's cold temples. He paused and, after instructing the other two to keep their distance, started slowly feeding his magic into Fai, watching and feeling for any rejection. Apart from the initial resistance, his magic was fooled and started flowing freely into the other body and Yuui had to work hard to keep concentration; too much at once could start Fai's heart too strong and just give him a heart attack.

He breathed heavily and sweat gathered at the base of his neck at the strain of holding his magic back. It really was too strong; he would need to pull away soon. Not until—

_There!_

Yuui gasped a laugh as he felt it, weak but there. A beat.

_One, Two. Ba-bump._

He paused, and his gut fell as the beats stopped. He removed his hands, rubbed them together, and tried again, this time giving short bursts of life into the other man, trying to will his heart into beating on its own.

_Ba-bump… Ba-bump… Ba-bump…_

Yuui panted and laughed happily, stopping the magic flow but still feeling the other's heartbeat grow stronger every second.

"_I did it" _he whispered, voice laced with exhaustion, and slumped forward. Both Kuroganes darted forward and caught him, the ninja lifting him away and holding him close. He was fast asleep; the day's events finally taking their toll on him. The other was at Fai's side, holding the back of his hand to the blonde's mouth.

Hot breath tickled his skin and he breathed the biggest sigh of relief he could ever remember making, before checking the weak heartbeat with two fingers.

The pale skin was warming up. Fai would make it. He grinned elatedly and suddenly felt like laughing and dancing at the same time. The other Kurogane left the room, presumably to put Yuui to bed, and he kissed Fai's forehead and then the knuckles of his right hand, holding it tightly, feeling the skin warm up as life returned to his body.

It didn't take long for the blue eyes to flutter open, clear and so full of _life _that the PE teacher didn't ponder the speed of his recovery even for a second as he kissed the lips he loved so much, still gripping Fai's right hand in his left and a handful of blonde locks in his right, stroking knuckles and scalp at the same time.

Fai laughed breathlessly as they parted, and Kurogane's larger-than-life grin grew.

"Hey," he murmured.

"Hello," Fai agreed.

THE END

X o X o X

**Hey! Author here**

**I'm not going into one of those OMG THANKS FOR READING I LOVE YOU speeches, so basically:**

**It's over, I hope you liked reading, and no, I'm not writing an epilogue.**

**D**

**Lots of Love,**

**Dao Lian / Yuui-Nyanko**

**PS: There is a thank you, actually. ****This is the first multichapter fanfiction I've ever finished, so thank you all for pushing me hard enough to actually finish it XD**


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